Bedouin Business Rivals Face Arrest Over Threats in Negev Food Supply Market

Sami Abu Galbin and his nephew Muhammad have been accused of repeatedly threatening competitors in the food supply market for foreign workers in the Negev region. According to the indictment, they tried to intimidate rivals to keep them out of the area, even blocking their routes. The prosecution is seeking to detain them until the end of legal proceedings due to the severity of the threats and their potential danger to public safety.

The conflict arose when a competitor used a commercial vehicle to deliver goods to foreign workers in western Negev farms, an area where the Abu Galbin family also operates a similar business. The family, fearing competition, allegedly leveraged connections with criminal elements in the Bedouin sector to intimidate others. Sami Abu Galbin was reported to have threatened a competitor in Kadesh Barnea, warning him with a gesture mimicking throat-slitting and referencing a violent incident involving his own brother.

In one incident, Sami followed a competitor’s truck near Rahat, demanding they stop for a conversation and attempting to block their vehicle on the road. The competitor filed a police complaint supported by recordings and video evidence of the threats. The prosecution stated the accused extorted the complainants with serious threats, causing them to fear for their safety and avoid working in western Negev.

The Southern District Prosecutor’s Office requested that the suspects not be granted house arrest due to their dangerousness and the risk they might obstruct justice or evade prosecution. The case highlights ongoing tensions and criminal influence within the Bedouin business community in the Negev.