Jerusalem, 4 January, 2026 (TPS-IL) — The Israel Police established a new security sub-district within its Southern District – the Rotem (juniper brush) Area – in the Negev it said to “strengthen the security of southern residents.” It will have hundreds of officers in the fields of patrol, investigations, intelligence, anti-terror, and surveillance, with the allocation of all of its resources to combat crime in general and in Arab communities in particular, including arms trafficking and shooting incidents, extortion of protection money, illegal construction, the phenomenon of polygamy that harms social order, and any criminal activity that undermines the security of southern residents.
It includes the Arad, Dimona, Ar’oer, and other cities, and a central regional unit, with the aim of providing a rapid response to the unique threats faced by southern residents.
The Rotem Area began operating during the past week, during which time its forces carried out economic enforcement valued at approximately four million Shekels ($1.25 million) along with the seizure of weapons and ammunition.