The United Arab List (Ra’am), headed by MK Mansour Abbas, held an election rally this week in the village of Bir Hadaj in the Negev under the slogan, “Bir Hadaj – Towards Greater Influence.”
Central to the rally was the goal of increasing Arab society’s political power by encouraging potential voters to vote in the upcoming Knesset elections.
The event was held as part of Ra’am’s public and political campaign in the Negev, as Ra’am seeks to bring issues concerning Negev Bedouin at the center of the party’s platform.
At the event, Ra’am raised the issues of recognition of unrecognized villages, halting home demolitions and the eviction of residents, as well as matters relating to planning and construction. The party also highlighted the need for infrastructure development and improvements to education, employment, and basic services.
Speakers at the rally argued that the next stage requires strengthening the political power of Arab society and increasing its ability to influence decision-making. According to them, the Negev is not a “peripheral area” and its residents need representation and influence commensurate with the challenges they face.