Ben-Gvir Clashes With Residents in Negev Village

National Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir visited the Bedouin village of Bir Hadaj in the Negev on Wednesday, clashing with local residents and village committee members just a month before elections. Residents accused Ben-Gvir of being a "failure" and a "TikTok minister," warning him of impending electoral defeat. Ben-Gvir, however, remained unfazed, responding, "For four years you've been saying 'I'm out'." During the confrontation, a committee member, Moussa Abu Marim, argued with Ben-Gvir over land issues and the minister's policy of confiscating tractors and bulldozers. Abu Marim also criticized the minister's initiative to distribute gun licenses, stating that the need for such measures indicated a lack of security. Ben-Gvir countered that his policy was about restoring governance to the Negev, enforcing the law equally, and that those who "act as useful citizens" would not have problems.

Ben-Gvir highlighted his recent visit to Beer Sheva, where he met the 300,000th citizen to receive a gun license under his reform. As residents continued to shout about his potential election loss, Ben-Gvir reiterated his defiance. Abu Marim then dismissed Ben-Gvir as "nothing" and a "TikTok minister" seeking publicity. Village committee chairman Salim Danfiri stated that Ben-Gvir's visit was unimpressive, despite the demolition of hundreds of homes. He accused Ben-Gvir of aiming to sow hatred and disrupt relations between Bedouins and Jews in the Negev, driven by an ideology that promotes conflict. Danfiri expressed hope for a new government to repair the damage caused by Ben-Gvir, whom he called a "racist," and vowed to vote him out.

In response, Ben-Gvir asserted that the era of illegal land appropriation and construction in the Negev was over. He contrasted his government's demolition of 10,000 homes with the previous government's record of demolishing only four. He reiterated his commitment to equal enforcement of the law in the Negev, stating that lawbreakers would face enforcement authorities.