In a retrospective study, 60 cases of tuberculosis (TB) were seen during 1968-1977. 95% were either Jewish or Bedouin. About 25% of the Bedouin were under 20 years of age. 62 of the cases had extra-pulmonary tuberculosis, while only 38% had the pulmonary form. As has been noted before, different ethnic groups had distinctive clinical features of tuberculosis. After a constant decline in the rate of tuberculosis in Israel for 4 decades, an increasing incidence has recently been observed. This trend is explained by waves of immigration from countries where tuberculosis is prevalent. The diagnosis was made quite late in the course of the disease, mainly because tuberculosis has been considered rare in Israel. A higher index of suspicion will allow earlier diagnosis and treatment of this curable disease.