Israeli minister Ben-Gvir pelted with stones and forced to flee Bedouin village in Negev

Israel's far-right extremist National Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir was pelted with stones and rushed out of the Bedouin village of Tarabin al-Sana in the occupied Negev (Naqab) on Sunday, fleeing under heavy police protection, after a raid by Israeli forces sparked confrontations with residents.

Ben-Gvir, who has called for the ethnic cleansing of Gaza, had entered the village with senior police officials to oversee ongoing operations following an overnight raid of Palestinian homes and a series of arrests.

Video footage shared online showed him being struck by stones and hustled away by armed officers as police fired tear gas at Palestinians to cover his exit.

Israeli media reported that dozens of villagers confronted the minister's entourage, clashing with police during his visit.

Police also told The Times of Israel that two residents were arrested during the unrest and confirmed the use of tear gas.

Speaking to reporters as he continued walking through the village with a cordon of security, Ben-Gvir accused Bedouin Palestinian communities of living "without rule of law".

He dismissed criticism of checkpoints, concrete barriers, and roadblocks imposed around Bedouin towns, rejected claims of collective punishment, and said that anyone unhappy with Israel's treatment of them "can go drink the water in Gaza".

Residents and local leaders say the minister's rhetoric reflects systematic contempt for Palestinian Bedouins, many of whom hold Israeli citizenship but describe policing in their communities as militarised and discriminatory.

They compare the raids and checkpoints to tactics used in the occupied West Bank, rather than normal civilian law enforcement.

A resident named Alaa told Ynet that the community was being scapegoated to justify Ben-Gvir's agenda. "You want to catch criminals? Go in and arrest them. What are these checkpoints for?" he said, adding that the minister was responsible for inflaming the situation.

Opposition politicians, including Yair Lapid, have accused Ben-Gvir of exploiting the surge in crime affecting Palestinian towns to produce videos of clashes rather than address the violence.

Bedouin leaders say Ben-Gvir's "New Order" policing campaign amounts to a political crackdown, not a sincere effort to protect residents.

Ben-Gvir is known for stunts directed against Palestinians, having taken part in frequent settler raids of the Al-Aqsa Mosque complex and storming Palestinian politician Marwan Barghouti's cell, to insult him.

Despite being forced to withdraw from the village under a barrage of stones, he insisted to reporters that he would return, framing the confrontation as a challenge to his authority rather than evidence of deep community resentment toward his policies.