Dimona Mayor Calls for Joint Action on Negev Security Threat

The Mayor of Dimona, Benny Biton, responded on Thursday to a warning from Shin Bet head David Zini regarding concerns about attempts to establish "military-like battalions" within the Bedouin population in the Negev. Biton stated that this issue requires a coordinated response from all state authorities and called for a meeting with Negev regional council heads to present the information behind the warning.

Biton expressed that while the Shin Bet head had updated the security cabinet, regional leaders should have also been convened. He noted that local authorities have long warned about arms smuggling and other problems in the Negev, emphasizing that they should not be excluded from the solution. He acknowledged receiving numerous inquiries from residents and leaders in the Negev concerning reports of armed groups and military infrastructure in the Bedouin population.

"We cannot throw out such a statement and say here comes the next October seventh, and we cannot slander the entire Bedouin sector, that is unthinkable," Biton said, adding that Bedouin local leaders themselves have requested Shin Bet involvement. He believes that if the Shin Bet is now engaged, and Zini has issued such a warning, regional leaders should be informed and could offer assistance.

Describing the situation as a "ticking bomb, a real one," Biton stressed the need for comprehensive action, including economic enforcement, drug treatment, employment initiatives, and demolitions. He advocated for collaboration between the police and Shin Bet, with the inclusion of local authorities as a crucial third element for success. Biton plans to contact Zini directly and raise the issue with the Prime Minister in an upcoming meeting, stating, "I want the Prime Minister to tell us, I don't want to hear it from the media... we have some responsibility for the residents."