Shin Bet Chief's Warning Prompts Calls for National Emergency in Negev

Following a warning from Shin Bet chief David Zini about military infrastructure and militant groups in Bedouin towns in the Negev, Hagai Reznik, head of the Rivman Institute for the Development of the Negev, has urged Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Zini himself to declare a "national state of emergency" in the region. Reznik also called for the immediate adoption of the institute's proposed plan.

Zini allegedly described these groups as being the size of military brigades.

Reznik's letter to Netanyahu and Zini highlighted that these concerns align with the institute's reports, analyses, and statements from former senior security officials.

They also suggest that a combination of explosive drones, long-range gunfire, and rocket barrages could impair the air force's operational capabilities.

Furthermore, the institute estimates that the Negev holds a substantial cache of 100,000 to 130,000 illegal weapons and combat items, some of which may have been leaked or stolen from IDF bases. They also point to an active black market for weapons and the annual seizure of hundreds of explosive devices.

In response, the institute proposes several emergency measures. These include declaring the area around Nevatim as a national security zone with strict enforcement around military bases and strategic installations. They also recommend a national operation to locate and remove illegal weapons, granting broad search and arrest powers based on intelligence. Reznik concluded by calling for an "immediate awakening" to reassert sovereignty and bolster security for all Negev residents.