A minor and an adult from Rahat were detained for questioning on suspicion of organizing an illegal camel race in a Negev firing zone. Police and Border Police raided the site last week and stopped the race before it began. The site is located near Route 222 and the Bedouin settlement of Bir Hadaj, and forces deployed there following intelligence about preparations for the race.
1+Officers from the Shgav Shalom station and Border Police spotted vehicles, carts, and participants arriving at the site ahead of the race, and raided it with guidance from the police’s aerial unit. When forces arrived, the vehicles scattered from the scene, and with help from the air the two suspects were located. The camel at the site was seized, and the two were taken for further questioning at the Shgav Shalom station.
“Israel Police is acting decisively and proactively against illegal camel races, particularly in firing zones and areas where the activity could endanger human life,” said Shgav Shalom station commander Superintendent Eli Cohen, adding that combining ground forces with the aerial unit’s capabilities allows them to identify those involved and stop events before they happen.
1+In November 2024, Israel held its first regulated camel race in the Ramat Negev, an initiative by Minister Amichai Chikli in cooperation with the Ramat Negev Regional Council, government ministries, and Israel Police. Shikli said at the time that for years, camel races in the Negev had been a symbol of lawlessness and chaos. A veterinarian from Rahat who supervised the regulated race noted that every year several unofficial races are held in firing zones, endangering the riders.