National Security Minister Itamar Ben Gvir arrived Wednesday morning in the community of Bir Hadaj in the Negev to observe a large-scale enforcement operation in an area where structures and businesses had been established without the legally required permits.
The minister’s arrival was accompanied by tense verbal confrontations with local residents who protested the demolitions, with Ben Gvir making clear to them that the policy of turning a blind eye to building violations was over.
As part of the complex operation, various enforcement agencies operated at the site together with personnel from the Israel Land Enforcement Authority and the Israel Police. During the evacuations and demolitions, authorities also carried out the administrative seizure of large amounts of equipment and heavy machinery used by the owners of the unauthorized compounds.
During the operation, Ben Gvir delivered forceful remarks outlining the government’s policy on illegal construction.
“The games are over, as are the days when people could take over private land, build in violation of the law, establish businesses, and do whatever they pleased in the Negev. Under our government, we demolished 10,000 homes, while under the Muslim Brotherhood government, as Mansour Abbas calls it, only four homes were demolished."
“My policy is clear: One law for everyone. We are restoring governance to the Negev - through enforcement, determination, and without blinking. Anyone who breaks the law will encounter the enforcement authorities," he added.