In the remote Negev Desert town of Dimona, a community long considered an ironclad bastion for Benjamin Netanyahu’s Likud party, a quiet but significant rebellion is taking place. As the country prepares for Tuesday’s national election, some of the town’s most loyal voters are now going door-to-door for his chief rival, hoping to end the veteran prime minister’s nearly two-decade grip on power.
This ballot marks the first time Israelis have gone to the polls since the devastating Hamas attack on October 7, 2023. That security breach, which occurred under Netanyahu’s watch, triggered a regional war and severely damaged Likud’s standing. While Netanyahu has governed for 18 years over six terms, the current race has become exceptionally tight, with polling suggesting his right-wing and ultra-Orthodox coalition may struggle to maintain a majority.
The town of Dimona itself has not been spared from the conflict; an Iranian missile strike wounded dozens in the area in March, making the security debate deeply personal for residents. Yossi Assayag, 74, a lifelong Likud supporter, is among those who have broken with the party. He now campaigns for Gadi Eisenkot, the former military chief of staff leading the centrist Yashar party.
Assayag’s shift mirrors a broader trend in towns like Dimona, where Mizrahi Jews—those of Middle Eastern and North African descent—have historically supported Likud after feeling marginalized by the European-influenced Labor Party of the past. For decades, this demographic served as Netanyahu’s core power base. However, polling from the Viterbi Family Center for Public Opinion and Policy Research shows that only 55% of those who voted for Likud in 2022 plan to do so again on Tuesday. Around 15% are shifting to anti-Netanyahu parties, including 8% specifically for Eisenkot’s Yashar.
Eisenkot, 66, has utilized a personal history that resonates with this specific electorate. A child of Moroccan immigrants who rose to the highest ranks of the military, he offers a familiar cultural background to Mizrahi voters. His personal sacrifice has also moved the public; his son was killed in combat in Gaza in December 2023. During a town hall in July, Dimona residents greeted Eisenkot with emotional condolences and hugs, suggesting his security credentials and personal story are successfully chipping away at Likud’s foundation.
Despite the visible shift, the challenge for the opposition remains steep. In the 2022 election, half of Dimona’s voters cast ballots for Likud. For many, like pensioner Ruti Ohana, the bond remains unbreakable. Ohana, who moved to Israel from North Africa 60 years ago, maintains that Netanyahu remains the superior leader and argues that blaming him for the October 7 failures is unjust.
Netanyahu, now 77, has fought back with a campaign focused on his history of investing in the Negev’s development. During a recent visit to the town, he urged voters to remember which government brought funding and progress to their community. His supporters, such as former Kiryat Malachi mayor Lior Katzav, believe that wavering voters are returning to the party as election day approaches.
However, even some who acknowledge Netanyahu’s contributions say his age and tenure are factors for change. David Iskali, a software engineer in Dimona, noted that while Netanyahu has served the country well, the prospect of a leader approaching 80 years old is a deterrent. With 13% of the national electorate still undecided, the outcome likely rests on whether more voters in traditional strongholds like Dimona decide that their children’s future matters more than their historical party allegiances.
