A contractor who worked on infrastructure works in a Bedouin village fell victim to extortion, threats and eventually robbery • "The Bedouin Authority and the Israel Police turned him into a mockery and a scoundrel"
The scene of the robbery at the construction site in the village of Umm Batin
On the night between Thursday and Friday last week, the Ituran company informed a contractor working on the outskirts of the Bedouin village of Umm Batin that engineering tools he owned parked in a fenced compound were in motion.
Since this is an unconventional time, this shift could only be one thing.
Indeed, as it was soon discovered, engineering tools worth a cumulative value of about NIS 3 million were stolen from the site.
The damage: backhoe, Bobcat, compactor, diesel tanks, large cart and hammer, when an attempt was made to steal other tools that were on the site, which apparently did not succeed.
Apparently this is a robbery of content well.
The Ituran equipment was dismantled nearby and the location of the vessels is currently unknown.
And not only that, the guard, who was hired by the criminals, was found sleeping in his house.
The development work in Umm Batin is intended to prepare infrastructure and bridges for a residential neighborhood for the residents of the area, a Bedouin village recognized as part of the "Abu Basma" villages about 20 years ago, and since then efforts have been made to regulate it with modern infrastructure.
Bedouins living on the planned Route 6 are expected to move to the neighborhood.
The events at the place are not new.
In fact since the contractor started working in the field he has suffered from harassment, threats, injury to workers and more.
The person behind the damage to the contractor was a known criminal, who claimed that the lands on which the works were carried out belonged to him.
Not only that, he also threatened families who were supposed to move to live in the neighborhood, preventing any possibility of development.
After having no choice, the contractor was forced to employ one of the offenders' family members, and after the offender's threats against other Bedouins the entire project stalled, the police initiated an operation.
Last December, a police spokeswoman announced that activities of undercover agents posing as contractors "succeeded in exposing sponsorship extortion that has taken place in recent years, towards contractors and families הללו Police investigators arrested 6 suspects in these extortion acts" and some were indicted.
As Israel learned today, as part of the investigation into the matter, the contractor and other workers at the site were summoned to submit evidence against their will and under court orders.
"Everyone was scared," a source familiar with the details of the affair tells us.
"Understand that you should not get involved with this offender and that no one should protect them the day after."
As it turned out, the concerns were justified.
Since the media operation the police have left the area, and the contractor is left to deal alone.
When some of the detainees were released the contractor began to realize that the storm was coming.
As Israel Today has learned, he appealed to the police and the Bedouin Authority to increase security at the site and maintain it, but was denied.
Eventually, having no choice, he was forced to hire one of the family members of the offenders as a guard at the site.
But to no avail: on the night of the theft, the guard was found asleep in his house, and the site was abandoned.
"Unfortunately, the rabbi on this site was thrown to the winds," say sources familiar with the affair.
"The Bedouin Authority and the Israel Police turned it into a mockery and a disgrace. They turned it into a tool of tools and playing tools in their hands."
"The police knew how to do public relations here, brought in production companies, did footage and a big story, but the day after they disappeared and left the contractor alone in the field," we are told.
"A police victory festival was carried out here and the contractor was thrown out again, and he is the one who absorbs everything and pays the price."
