image sourced from original article at Rahat mayor Talal Alkernawi, along with other Bedouin leaders, has called on police to end the practice of blocking entrances to Bedouin towns in southern Israel, describing it as a form of collective punishment. In a letter to senior police officials, Alkernawi argued that the use of cinderblocks to seal off villages lacks legal justification and urged law enforcement to adopt more measured and coordinated approaches.
The appeal follows a series of police raids targeting crime in Bedouin communities, which local politicians say have failed to reduce violence and instead disrupt daily life for law-abiding residents. Alkernawi emphasized that Bedouin towns are part of Israel and should not be treated as occupied territories, expressing concern that the current policy could escalate tensions between Bedouin and Jewish communities.
He also criticized National Security Minister Itamar Ben Gvir for driving the policy, warning that such measures risk deepening divisions in the region.
