Four Garbage Trucks Torched in Southern Israel, Threatening Waste Disposal

Four garbage trucks belonging to Negev Ecology, a recycling company, were destroyed in a fire at the Duda'im waste site near Be'er Sheva on Thursday. Police in Rahat suspect arson, with estimated damages ranging from four to five million shekels. The incident could disrupt waste disposal services for local authorities in the southern region.

Moti Arazi, CEO of the Duda'im Economic Company, stated that Negev Ecology provides essential waste transport and collection services to local municipalities. He expressed concern that the loss of four compactor trucks would necessitate keeping the Duda'im site open on Shabbat to prevent local authorities from being overwhelmed with garbage. Arazi believes the motive behind the attack is likely an attempt to extort protection money, citing previous incidents of break-ins at the site.

Arazi described the attack as a severe blow that undermines the security of the site's employees, emphasizing Duda'im's critical role in handling waste from both Jewish and Arab communities across the Negev. He warned that citizens in some southern areas might experience delays in waste collection in the coming weeks, as the company struggles to compensate for the lost vehicles. He also noted that some employees are hesitant to come to work due to safety concerns.

Calling the incident "actual terrorist activity," Arazi highlighted a pattern of violence at the Duda'im site, including a previous grenade attack and shootings, which he attributes to protection rackets. He stated that the site, despite being secured, is not equipped to handle such attacks and that these incidents create a climate of fear, with perpetrators seeking to assert dominance. Arazi lamented that his company is forced to alter operational procedures to manage these disruptions instead of focusing solely on waste management.

This event follows a recent incident where the electrical room of the wastewater treatment facility for the Neve Midbar Water Corporation in the Negev was set on fire, with diesel fuel and tires found at the scene. That arson caused wastewater from Hebron to flow towards Be'er Sheva, posing a risk of severe odor hazards to several other Negev communities. The Ministry of Environmental Protection estimates that restoring the treatment facility could take weeks.