In the north, as well, a protest was taking place. A few dozen farmers demonstrated at an Upper Galilee junction in support of Dromi. They blocked the intersection, and accused the authorities of not properly dealing with crime.
Dromi's remand was extended for four days on Sunday by the Be'er Sheva district court. The farm owner admits that early Sunday morning he opened fire on four intruders, killing one of them. He was being investigated for suspected murder as a result of the shootings.
The dead man was identified as Khaled al-Atrash, 31, who police said had recently been released from prison after serving four years for agricultural theft. Al-Atrash had trespassed on Dromi's farm with three other Negev Bedouin men.
Dromi is now being investigated for suspected murder, shooting in a residential area and using a gun without a license.
According to Dromi, the owner of Shai Farms in the northern Negev, four men arrived at his farm, poisoned a guard dog and broke a lock on one of his sheep pens. Dromi told detectives that a similar incident had occurred a month earlier.
Police and Border Police units were dispatched to Shai Farms after gunfire was reported in the area, and discovered the farmer attempting to resuscitate al-Atrash, who nevertheless died shortly thereafter. The second man arrived by ambulance in critical but stable condition at Soroka, hospital officials said.
Dromi told police that he had fired warning shots to scare off the suspected burglars after they entered the yard, and only later realized that he had hit two of them. The other two trespassers were apparently wounded, but managed to flee the scene.
"[Such an incident] was to be expected, considering the police's helplessness in preventing agricultural thefts in the south," chairman of the Negev Development Council Shmuel Rifman said Saturday evening.
According to Rifman, there has been a dramatic increase in agricultural theft - from cattle to expensive equipment and copper tubing - in the Negev.
Rifman said an increase in detective work and intelligence would greatly help decrease agricultural theft by local Bedouin, since only a few specific groups are thought to be responsible for a majority of the crimes. Meanwhile, Rifman said, farm owners could be expected to take steps to protect their livelihoods.
"Regrettably, with the constant agricultural crime, this was the first, but most likely will not be the last such incident," Rifman said.
Also on Sunday, Agriculture Minister Shalom Simhon called on Interior Security Minister Avi Dichter to introduce new alternatives to fighting the war against agricultural thefts in the Negev.
According to Simhon, the lives of the farmers on the periphery have "turned into hell" because of the need to defend their equipment in wide-open areas. "The country has abandoned the farmers, said Simhon.
Director of the Agriculture Ministry, Yael Shaltiali, met with Dichter on Monday.
Dromi's lawyer, Suzie Shalev, told Army Radio that her client had attempted to stop the intruders by shooting first in the air, but due to a mechanical problem with his weapon, the gun did not fire until he shot at their legs. She said he immediately called Meitar's security head.
"I understand that he is in trouble, but I'd like to know what his other options were," she said.
Regional leaders also are calling for stiffer punishment for Bedouin thieves, who they claim have stolen million of dollars of agricultural equipment in the past year.
Knesset Member Yisrael Katz (Likud), former Agriculture Minister, stated that he will submit a law, similar to that in the United States, where property owners are allowed to shoot to prevent break-ins and theft.
Dromi's remand was extended for four days on Sunday by the Be'er Sheva district court. The farm owner admits that early Sunday morning he opened fire on four intruders, killing one of them. He was being investigated for suspected murder as a result of the shootings.
The dead man was identified as Khaled al-Atrash, 31, who police said had recently been released from prison after serving four years for agricultural theft. Al-Atrash had trespassed on Dromi's farm with three other Negev Bedouin men.
Dromi is now being investigated for suspected murder, shooting in a residential area and using a gun without a license.
According to Dromi, the owner of Shai Farms in the northern Negev, four men arrived at his farm, poisoned a guard dog and broke a lock on one of his sheep pens. Dromi told detectives that a similar incident had occurred a month earlier.
Police and Border Police units were dispatched to Shai Farms after gunfire was reported in the area, and discovered the farmer attempting to resuscitate al-Atrash, who nevertheless died shortly thereafter. The second man arrived by ambulance in critical but stable condition at Soroka, hospital officials said.
Dromi told police that he had fired warning shots to scare off the suspected burglars after they entered the yard, and only later realized that he had hit two of them. The other two trespassers were apparently wounded, but managed to flee the scene.
"[Such an incident] was to be expected, considering the police's helplessness in preventing agricultural thefts in the south," chairman of the Negev Development Council Shmuel Rifman said Saturday evening.
According to Rifman, there has been a dramatic increase in agricultural theft - from cattle to expensive equipment and copper tubing - in the Negev.
Rifman said an increase in detective work and intelligence would greatly help decrease agricultural theft by local Bedouin, since only a few specific groups are thought to be responsible for a majority of the crimes. Meanwhile, Rifman said, farm owners could be expected to take steps to protect their livelihoods.
"Regrettably, with the constant agricultural crime, this was the first, but most likely will not be the last such incident," Rifman said.
Also on Sunday, Agriculture Minister Shalom Simhon called on Interior Security Minister Avi Dichter to introduce new alternatives to fighting the war against agricultural thefts in the Negev.
According to Simhon, the lives of the farmers on the periphery have "turned into hell" because of the need to defend their equipment in wide-open areas. "The country has abandoned the farmers, said Simhon.
Director of the Agriculture Ministry, Yael Shaltiali, met with Dichter on Monday.
Dromi's lawyer, Suzie Shalev, told Army Radio that her client had attempted to stop the intruders by shooting first in the air, but due to a mechanical problem with his weapon, the gun did not fire until he shot at their legs. She said he immediately called Meitar's security head.
"I understand that he is in trouble, but I'd like to know what his other options were," she said.
Regional leaders also are calling for stiffer punishment for Bedouin thieves, who they claim have stolen million of dollars of agricultural equipment in the past year.
Knesset Member Yisrael Katz (Likud), former Agriculture Minister, stated that he will submit a law, similar to that in the United States, where property owners are allowed to shoot to prevent break-ins and theft.