Ben-Gvir caused 'serious damage' to Netanyahu bloc: Likud official

Ben-Gvir accused of damaging ruling bloc

Israeli National Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir caused serious damage to Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s ruling bloc by galvanizing Arab voters against it, Likud central committee member Shimon Boker said Saturday in remarks reported by The Jerusalem Post. Boker argued that the extremist minister’s repeated provocations had backfired, boosting turnout in Arab communities and directly contributing to the right-wing camp’s failure to secure a governing majority.

Bedouin city turnout surges

Voter turnout in Rahat, Israel’s largest Bedouin city, reached nearly 80%, according to the report. A veteran Likud activist identified only as Rami, who monitored polling stations in the city, said widespread anger toward Ben-Gvir drove residents to vote against Netanyahu’s camp.

Rahat Mayor Talal al-Krenawi welcomed the high participation as a demonstration of the community’s political strength, while residents cited home demolitions and the minister’s inflammatory rhetoric as primary motivations for casting ballots. An activist from Ben-Gvir’s Otzma Yehudit party rejected the criticism, telling the newspaper that the minister should not be blamed for Arab citizens exercising their right to vote.

No majority in Knesset

The completed vote count left Netanyahu’s bloc with 53 seats, compared with 48 for the opposition alliance led by Gadi Eisenkot and a record 19 seats for Arab parties — 11 for the Joint List and eight for the United Arab List (Ra’am). Neither main bloc secured the 61 seats required for a majority in the 120-member parliament, and the official results are expected to be presented to President Isaac Herzog on Nov. 4 following verification procedures.