National Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir Clashes with Bedouin During Negev Tree Planting Preparations

National Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir visited the Wadi Anan area in the Negev, where the Israel Land Authority and the Jewish National Fund are preparing to plant trees ahead of the Tu Bishvat holiday. The preparations cover approximately 6,000 dunams of land claimed by Bedouin from the diaspora through ongoing court cases. During his visit, Ben-Gvir confronted a Bedouin individual and declared, "What is illegal, we destroy." He emphasized that the tree planting aims to protect the land from illegal invasions, unauthorized cultivation, illegal construction, and grazing, as well as to preserve infrastructure needed for the southern expansion of Highway 6.

Ben-Gvir criticized former Prime Minister Naftali Bennett and Mansour Abbas for halting previous planting efforts, stating, "Under us, we only plant, cultivate, and reclaim the land. We are the owners here. Those who want to live legally, peacefully, and calmly are welcome. Those in illegal locations, we destroy, and now we also plant because this land is ours." The minister's remarks underscore the government's firm stance on enforcing legality and sovereignty over disputed Negev lands.