Shin Bet Chief Warns of Terrorist Battalions Near Beersheba and Dimona
Translated & summarized from Ynet by baba
Shin Bet chief David Zini warned of growing military-like terrorist battalion infrastructure within the Bedouin population in the Negev, near Beersheba and Dimona. He noted worrying ties to Hamas, partly due to intermarriage with individuals from Gaza and the West Bank. The article details a surge in illegal weapons smuggling into Israel via drones and other means, with prices for firearms dropping significantly. Despite efforts, including a dedicated government unit, the problem persists, with recent incidents highlighting the ongoing security challenges in the region.
The story in 6 lines · by baba
- Shin Bet chief David Zini warned of military-like terrorist battalion infrastructure in the Negev's Bedouin population.
- These Bedouin battalions reportedly have worrying ties to Hamas, including intermarriage with individuals from Gaza and the West Bank.
- Thousands of weapons, including heavy arms, have been smuggled into Israel, with prices for illegal firearms dropping significantly.
- Drones are increasingly used to smuggle weapons, including heavy armaments like Mags, into Israel.
- Despite a dedicated government unit and police efforts, the problem of arms smuggling and related violence persists.
- Politicians from various parties criticized the government's handling of security and rising crime in the South.
The head of the Shin Bet, David Zini, issued a stark warning on Monday during a cabinet meeting regarding a severe security situation in the Negev. Zini stated that there are locations within the Bedouin diaspora with military infrastructure and that attempts to establish "military-like battalions" are a deeply concerning phenomenon. He emphasized that the Shin Bet continuously thwarts these infrastructures.
According to Zini, these Bedouin-established battalions, operating a short drive from Beersheba and Dimona, have a "worrying connection" to terrorist organizations like Hamas. This connection is partly due to intermarriage with individuals from Gaza and the West Bank. The article cites the ongoing trial of Sabach Haniyeh, sister of a eliminated Hamas leader, who is accused of sending praise to her brother after the October 7th massacre.
National Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir's 2022 election pledge to restore governance in the South has been overshadowed by rising crime and murder rates. Criminals have adopted new methods for smuggling weapons into Israel, including drones from the Egyptian and Jordanian borders, with thousands of such incidents reported, involving heavy weaponry like Mags and M-16s.
Assaf Bar Yosef, a prosecutor specializing in weapons offenses, noted a significant increase in illegal weapons, leading to a drop in prices for firearms like Glocks and M-16s. He highlighted that drones are facilitating the entry of "crazy weapons" such as Mags, and that smuggled handguns have been used in terror attacks. The Shin Bet's involvement in these cases, initiated by a July 2026 government decision allocating NIS 364 million to combat arms smuggling, underscores the severity of the issue, with most smuggling cases classified as security-related by the prison service.
Despite a large police presence and raids in the Bedouin village of Tarabin following arson attacks on Jewish communities, the police reported minimal results beyond traffic violations and vehicle impoundments. Meanwhile, Yoav Segalovitz, a politician from the Ra'am party, recently experienced gunfire during a community meeting in Rahat, criticizing the government's failure to ensure personal security.
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