A lethal confrontation during an Israeli police operation in the Negev has resulted in the death of a Palestinian citizen, intensifying tensions over the government’s law enforcement tactics. Mohammed Hussein al-Tarabin, a 35-year-old father of seven, was fatally shot by officers during an arrest raid in the village of Tirabin al-Sana late Saturday.
According to official police statements, Tarabin was targeted after allegedly endangering officers’ lives during the operation and was suspected of involvement in vehicle arsons in nearby Jewish communities. However, these claims are vehemently disputed by Tarabin’s family and community representatives, who describe the shooting as an execution-style killing without justification.
The incident’s sole child witness, Tarabin’s 11-year-old son, provided a harrowing account: “They knocked on the door. My father opened it, and immediately they shot him in the chest.” The child further described how officers dragged his mortally wounded father to the balcony, removed his trousers, and conducted searches while he lay bleeding on the floor.
National Security Minister Itamar Ben Gvir, who oversees police operations, publicly endorsed the officers’ actions, declaring the killing “right” and expressing full support for the involved personnel through his social media channels. This endorsement comes amid Ben Gvir’s personally led “sovereignty restoration” campaign in Tirabin al-Sana, featuring increased raids, arrests, and home demolition orders targeting Palestinian citizens of Israel.
The shooting officer has been interrogated on suspicion of unlawful firearm use and released to house arrest pending internal investigation. Palestinian leadership organizations have condemned both the specific killing and the broader police campaign, characterizing it as systematic intimidation and collective punishment against Arab citizens.
The High Follow-Up Committee, representing Palestinian citizens of Israel, accused police of “committing deliberate killing” and implementing “an unprecedented campaign of intimidation, terror and revenge.” Committee head Jamal Zahalka specifically denounced Ben Gvir’s support for the killing as reflecting “fascist” tendencies and rejected police allegations against Tarabin as fabricated.
This incident highlights ongoing tensions between Israel’s Palestinian minority—descendants of those not expelled during the 1948 Nakba—and state authorities, with advocacy groups citing persistent discrimination and repressive practices despite formal citizenship status.