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A police officer shot and killed a suspect during a raid in the Bedouin town of Tarabin on Saturday night, triggering sharp criticism from local leaders who placed responsibility on National Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir.
The incident occurred as part of an ongoing police campaign targeting crime in southern Israel, including illegal immigration, arms trafficking, and nationalist vandalism known as “Price Tag” attacks.
According to police, officers were pursuing Muhammad Hussein Tarabin, a local resident suspected of involvement in several recent incidents linked to extremist vandalism.
Police said officers arrived at Tarabin’s home late at night and knocked on the door. When he opened it, they claimed they felt an immediate threat to their lives.
One officer fired his weapon at close range, killing Tarabin on the spot. Paramedics pronounced him dead at the scene.
Tarabin’s family strongly disputes the police version of events, insisting he made no hostile move and posed no danger to the officers.
Family members said Tarabin was unarmed and was shot without warning inside his home, in front of his wife and children.
“It happened in the house. In front of his kids,” said his brother, Ahmed Tarabin. “Even if he resisted arrest, they could have used reasonable force. This is a nightmare.”
The killing has reignited tensions between Israel’s law enforcement authorities and Bedouin communities, which have long complained of discriminatory and overly aggressive policing.
In the immediate aftermath, National Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir publicly backed the officers involved in the raid.
“I back the fighters who operated in Tarabin,” Ben-Gvir wrote in a social media post. “Anyone who endangers our police officers and fighters must be neutralized, and it’s good that it is so.”
His statement was met with fury among Bedouin leaders, who accused the minister of fostering a dangerous “trigger-happy” culture within the security forces.
In a joint letter released after the incident, local leaders said Ben-Gvir’s policies directly contributed to what they described as a murder.
“A policy of incitement, a trigger-happy approach, and the deployment of forces not subordinate to the police led to an incident that ended in murder,” the letter stated.
The leaders demanded Ben-Gvir’s immediate dismissal, the dismantling of what they called a militia established under the guise of national security, and a full independent investigation.
“The blood of citizens is not up for grabs,” the letter concluded, warning that continued heavy-handed policing could further inflame tensions in the Negev.
Ben-Gvir, a far-right politician who has pushed for expanded police powers, has repeatedly argued that tougher measures are necessary to restore personal security.
Supporters of the minister say police officers are operating in increasingly dangerous conditions and must be given broad authority to defend themselves.
Critics, however, argue that his rhetoric encourages excessive use of force, particularly against minority communities.
The police officer who fired the fatal shot has been placed under five days of house arrest while investigators examine the circumstances of the killing.
Police said the investigation will review body camera footage, witness testimony, and forensic evidence to determine whether the shooting was justified.
Human rights groups have called for the probe to be conducted by an independent body, citing concerns about impartiality in cases involving police violence.
As the investigation continues, the death of Muhammad Hussein Tarabin has become a flashpoint in a broader national debate over policing, accountability, and the role of political leadership in shaping security policy.
For many in Tarabin, the focus remains on the family left behind, grappling with trauma and unanswered questions following a raid that ended in fatal gunfire.
This article was created using automation technology and was thoroughly edited and fact-checked by one of our editorial staff members