Al-Turabin, Negev – Tensions flared today in the Bedouin village of al-Turabin in the Negev region, as clashes erupted between local youth and Israeli police forces. The unrest followed heightened security measures implemented in the area.
Reports indicate that the village was placed under heightened security, with roadblocks established reportedly under the orders of National Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir. Several individuals were reportedly detained by police following the outbreak of confrontations. During the unrest, stones were allegedly thrown in the direction of Ben-Gvir.
The security operation follows accusations leveled against some village residents, alleging their involvement in arson attacks targeting vehicles and property within nearby Israeli kibbutzim located in the southern region. These accusations have been circulating in Israeli media outlets and on social media platforms, sparking an increase in inflammatory rhetoric directed towards the residents of al-Turabin.
Prior to the clashes, Ben-Gvir issued a statement on social media, vowing to take decisive action. He stated, “They thought they were sending me a message saying, ‘Ben-Gvir, be careful.’ I tell them: I will not only be careful, but I intend to proceed with full force. Tomorrow I will arrive in al-Turabin, and they will see the largest number of police. They will not threaten me.”
Al-Turabin, along with other unrecognized Arab villages in the Negev, faces ongoing challenges related to land ownership and development. These communities are engaged in a struggle to preserve their land in the face of Israeli projects aimed at establishing individual farms, agricultural settlements, and Jewish towns in the area. Critics argue these projects aim to concentrate the Arab population into smaller areas, while distributing Jewish communities across larger expanses of land.
