According to a report by The Times Of Israel on February 9, 2026, Arab-Israeli activist Somaya Bashir announced that she is running in the primaries for the left-wing Democrats party, aiming to address issues affecting the Arab community and promote Arab-Jewish partnership.
Bashir shared the news on her Facebook page, highlighting that she would be the left-wing party’s first potential Arab candidate. A seasoned activist and psychologist from the northern village of Jatt, she has founded several non-profits, including We Have No Other Land, and has been a prominent figure in Women Wage Peace.
Reflecting on her decision, Bashir says that, as a hijab-wearing woman from a traditional village, she debated entering politics, fully aware of the criticism it might bring. At 50, however, she told the Times of Israel, “I haven’t seen any change, so I decided to do it. If I don’t, nobody else will.”
Bashir emphasized the urgent challenges facing the Arab community. “The Arab community is burning, and nobody is doing anything,” she said, referencing the ongoing crime and violence in Arab towns, alongside persistent disparities in quality of life and civic rights for Arab citizens.
In the current political landscape, she notes that the left-wing Democrats, now led by Yair Golan following last year’s merger between the Labor Party and Meretz, remain the only party seriously engaging with Arab society.
Bashir also clarified that she did not consider joining any of the four Arab-majority parties that recently signed an agreement to work toward a Joint List, choosing instead to run within the left-wing framework she believes can drive meaningful change.
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