Moshav Declares War on Protection Rackets, Vows Not to Pay

Farmers in the moshav of Ramat Tzvi have banded together to resist protection rackets demanding "protection fees," also known as "khava." The resistance began after several farmers received calls offering "security services" under suspicious circumstances. When one farmer, Itzik Abramovitch, 65, refused the offer, the caller reacted with anger, indicating a territorial dispute.

Abramovitch, whose family has farmed the land since 1949, stated emphatically, "To pay khava? That's absolutely not an option. I don't lack anything, and even if I have to close the business, we won't pay protection money!"

Another farmer, Pinhas Arbel, 74, received a similar call. When he inquired about the caller's origin, he was told "from Gdera," but upon contacting the police, he learned the caller was from a nearby village. Arbel emphasized the moshav's unity, stating, "If we need to, we'll strengthen our security, but we won't give khava to anyone."

In response to these incidents, Uzi Dvlin of Ramat Tzvi took the initiative to organize the resistance. He contacted Yariv Ben Ami, founder of the anti-protection racket organization "Ad Kan" (Until the End), and Gidi Harari, its CEO. Together, they launched a joint effort. "The moment we realized it was a protection demand, we decided the entire moshav would fight back," Dvlin said. "Ramat Tzvi will not fall and will not pay anyone. We are united, we will fight together, and no criminal will collect protection money here."

Ben Ami praised the community's "true value-based Zionism" and urged the government to address the growing issue of protection rackets, citing other recent incidents like a tractor being set on fire in Ayelet Hashahar. Harari added that thousands of "Ad Kan" volunteers are on standby to assist Ramat Tzvi in their fight against this phenomenon.