Head of the Rifman Institute for the Development of the Negev, Haggai Reznik, said on Wednesday that there will be a Palestinian majority in Israel's Negev region by 2050.
“We need to prevent Palestinian women from entering," said Reznik. "The state funds and allows this. By 2050, there will be a Palestinian majority in the Negev.”
Also on Wednesday, the State Audit Committee met to review efforts to combat illegal weapons, enforcement failures, indictments, and sentencing. The discussion was brief, with many invited officials absent, including the acting director-general at the Prime Minister’s Office, the government secretary, and other key figures.
In 2025, Israel Police made 758 arrests for weapons offenses in Bedouin communities, setting a new record compared to previous years, according to a report prepared for the Knesset State Audit Committee, chaired by MK Alon Schuster (Kadima).
The State Comptroller’s report, which reviewed all actions related to illegal weapons, documented numerous serious shortcomings and formed the basis of the committee’s discussion.
Data show that arrests for weapons offenses rose from 654 in 2024 to 758 in 2025. Through April 2025, 288 arrests have been made. In 2025, 225 indictments were filed for weapons offenses, up from 174 in 2024, while 133 indictments have been filed so far this year through April.
Authorities also reported 780 incidents in 2025 involving the seizure of illegal weapons, including 1,876 handguns, 886 rifles, 552 grenades, 119 explosive devices, and 95 improvised weapons. In 2024, a record number of illegal arms were confiscated, totaling nearly 760 weapons, including rifles, handguns, and grenades.
Schuster: Balance 'must be maintained'
“I hope the government will do what it decided on this matter. The challenges are immense,” Schuster said at the start of the discussion. “The balance between public order, governance, and law enforcement, and the citizens’ trust in the authorities, must be maintained.”
He warned of the threat to the legitimacy of Israeli governance. “The existing situation creates cracks in trust and in the government’s sense of ability to enforce law and order in the area in question. Here, there needs to be an organized government work plan. To create a roadmap and set the correct administrative hierarchies, all must be managed centrally by the Prime Minister’s Office. This is not a matter for another ministry.”
Schuster expressed regret that the government secretary and other officials responsible for implementing government decisions were absent. He said he plans to use all available measures to ensure those invited attend a follow-up discussion.
Reznik suggested using a new term to describe the situation in the region. “They talk about a loss of governance in the Negev,” he said. “We need to talk about a loss of sovereignty. Because a sovereign establishes a system of taxation.
"In the Negev, there is an alternative taxation. It’s called protection. They say that law in the Negev is enforced through shootings. The judicial system has been eliminated, and we, that is, the Israel Land Authority, do not manage the state’s lands.”
He added that the loss of governance and sovereignty is total, with a criminal economy present and government action too slow. “The State of Israel is not focused on this. The state does not have the appropriate governance tools to handle the matter.”
Avi Biton, a representative of the Crossing Points Authority, addressed the entry of Palestinian women and explained that the movement of Israelis into Palestinian Authority areas is not treated as a border crossing. “There is no registration of Israelis passing through,” he said. “By contrast, Palestinians entering the country with a permit are registered. They undergo inspection and proper registration.”
Biton added that alternative measures are being considered to regulate the registration of Israelis entering Area A of the Palestinian Authority. “This mainly involves Bedouins entering for family visits, shopping, and so on. We hope this will be handled within the framework of the regulation.”
A representative of the Authority for the Regulation of Bedouin Settlement in the Negev said a special committee is developing recommendations to create a separation between the Negev and the Palestinian Authority. “The entire lack of governance stems from this connection,” he said. “In the coming weeks, we will submit the recommendations to the Prime Minister. I am the last person to say the situation is as it should be.”
Local officials express frustration
Beni Margelishvili, director of municipal supervision and policing in Beersheba, expressed disappointment that the State Comptroller’s recommendations are not being implemented. “I feel frustration and disappointment,” he said. “The absence of government representatives indicates their attitude toward this matter.”
Schuster concluded by stressing that the challenge now falls to the next government. “I hope that any government formed after the elections will not be able to ignore what is happening in the Negev. This is a significant event from every angle. Sometimes one side benefits while the other suffers. No one is satisfied with the situation, and we will call a special discussion to examine the proposals before us.”