Shin Bet Chief Warns of Military-Style Battalions Forming in Negev

The head of the Shin Bet, David Zini, issued a rare warning during a cabinet meeting Tuesday about the formation of military-style "battalions" within the Bedouin diaspora in the Negev desert. Zini stated that these groups possess military infrastructure and that their establishment is a "very worrying phenomenon." He indicated that the Shin Bet continuously thwarts these efforts and noted a disturbing connection between these organizations and terror groups, including Hamas. These formations, he explained, are being established by Bedouin residents in the Negev, a short drive from cities like Beersheba and Dimona.

Zini further elaborated on the "worrying link" these groups have with terror organizations, partly due to marriage ties with individuals from Gaza and the West Bank. This warning comes amid an increase in the involvement of Israeli citizens from the Bedouin diaspora in terror incidents, including arms smuggling across the Egyptian border and connections with terror elements in the West Bank and Gaza.

Security and police officials are also pointing to a significant influx of illegal weapons into the Negev, coupled with processes of nationalistic and religious radicalization. According to the security establishment's assessment, these developments are creating fertile ground for the growth of local armed organizations. The arms smuggling, in particular, facilitates the acquisition of standard weapons, including assault rifles, explosives, and night vision equipment.