Copyright ynetnews
Although the government formally launched its crackdown on polygamy in 2017, enforcement in the Bedouin community in the Negev has declined in recent years, after an initial period of intensive action. That trend began to reverse in late 2024, with the establishment of a dedicated unit within the police’s Southern District, which has since opened dozens of new cases. Since the special unit began operating in October 2024, roughly 140 cases have been opened against Bedouin men suspected of practicing polygamy, including 110 in 2025 alone. Prosecutors in the Southern District have filed 20 indictments this year for polygamy and related offenses—marking a dramatic rise from previous years, when only a handful of such cases reached the courts annually. The effort began in earnest in 2017 following the recommendations of the Palmor Commission, whose 2018 report detailed the societal harms linked to polygamy, including domestic violence, child marriage, child neglect, poverty and lack of education. The report also highlighted how polygamy often fuels internal family conflict over inheritance. Indictments were first filed cautiously, with 13 in 2020 and 22 in 2021. After that, prosecutions dropped off sharply, with only a few filed each year until the renewed effort in 2025. A source in the State Attorney’s Office said the offense of polygamy has been enforced consistently across the country, including in northern districts—but that prior to 2017, Bedouin communities in the south had been largely exempt from serious enforcement. In recent years, enforcement had been left to local police stations responsible for Bedouin towns such as Rahat, Ar’ara, Segev Shalom and Dimona, where officers relied on complaints and referrals from the Sharia courts. But amid high volumes of violent crime—including clan feuds, revenge attacks and killings—polygamy had become a lower priority. “This is not only about inequality. Polygamy also carries the potential for extreme violence.” In the background looms the reality that, in the Bedouin community, informal domestic partnerships are virtually non-existent. “There’s no such thing as having a child outside of marriage,” said an officer in the police’s anti-polygamy unit. “That would be a death sentence for the woman.” Southern District prosecutors say polygamy is particularly widespread in towns such as Kuseife, Ar’ara and Hura. “Despite the challenges, our goal is to indict every individual we can,” a source in the prosecutor’s office said. The unit has expanded its focus to include those who officiate polygamous marriages, attorneys who draft marriage contracts and even public figures. One of the highest-profile suspects is a well-known Bedouin council head and former soldier, who is under investigation for allegedly marrying a third wife. He has declined to comment. Prosecutor Giora Hazan of the Southern District said that women in polygamous households typically suffer from economic and emotional distress, and that research has shown a direct link between polygamy and domestic violence. “This is not only about inequality,” he said. “Polygamy also carries the potential for extreme violence.” Several of the indictments filed this year offer a window into the broader consequences of polygamy. In one case, a 37-year-old man from the Negev, married with eight children, was charged with sexually assaulting his second wife, a 15-year-old girl. According to the indictment, the abuse occurred abroad shortly after their marriage. He was charged with polygamy and sexual offenses, and a request was filed to keep him in custody until trial to protect the girl. In another case, a 38-year-old man from Ar’ara allegedly married a 17-year-old Palestinian girl, in addition to his wife of 18 years. The ceremony was held in the West Bank town of Yatta.
