Extortionist Apologizes After Family's 10-Day Protest Against Protection Money

In an unusual turn of events, an attempted extortion in the Arab community of Baqa al-Gharbiyya concluded not with violence, but with the perpetrator apologizing to the victim. The incident began when unknown assailants fired shots at the "Habib" supermarket, owned by Issa Shafiq Abu-Moch, after he refused to pay hundreds of thousands of shekels in protection money.

In response, the Abu-Moch family launched a determined 10-day protest against the pervasive issue of "P-R-O-T-E-C-T-I-O-N" money, a phenomenon often met with violence or even murder in the Arab community. Family members, young and old, halted their work, incurring financial losses to avoid succumbing to the demand.

Daily, hundreds of family members gathered at the supermarket, holding protests, chanting against the practice, and maintaining a 24-hour vigil to prevent further attacks. The family told Ynet, "This struggle was necessary. We decided not to give in to protection money, not even for one shekel. We cannot remain silent about this phenomenon." They added, "The struggle proved that a united public fight can confront negative phenomena like protection money and violence."

Ultimately, the family's sustained protest led to the individuals demanding the protection money apologizing to the Abu-Moch family and pledging to cease their harassment.