Ben-Gvir Confronted by Residents During Bir Hadaj Visit

Israeli National Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir faced sharp criticism during a recent visit to the Bedouin village of Bir Hadaj, part of his election campaign. Musa Abu Mariami, a village committee member, confronted Ben-Gvir, accusing him of failing to provide security and exacerbating the proliferation of weapons. Abu Mariami argued that effective security measures would have negated the need for hundreds of thousands of firearm permits, stating, "There is no security at all; he is creating a spectacle about this matter, yet he is distributing weapons to citizens because they are in danger." Ben-Gvir reportedly responded by boasting about home demolitions and stating, "If you are a productive citizen, I have no problem with you." Abu Mariami countered that while Ben-Gvir was allegedly defending Jewish terrorists and inciting minors to commit crimes, he himself was establishing successful businesses, paying taxes, working to improve relations between Bir Hadaj residents and the police, and encouraging youth to contribute to the state. Abu Mariami concluded by telling Ben-Gvir, "You will not be a minister. You are a failure... a TikTok minister."

Salim Danfiri, head of the village committee, also criticized Ben-Gvir's visit, calling him a figure associated with the "Hilltop Youth" extremist group. Danfiri noted that despite Ben-Gvir having demolished hundreds of their homes, the residents remain strong and will not leave. He asserted that Ben-Gvir aims to destroy the historically good relations between Bedouins and Jews in the Negev and sow hatred for personal gain, acting like a child and inciting war. Danfiri expressed hope for a different government to repair the damage caused by Ben-Gvir, stating they would remove him from power through the ballot box.