2 Beduins charged in Uvdat archeological vandalism rampage

2 Beduin charged with Uv

By YAAKOV LAPPIN
Two Beduin men, both 22 were indicted in Beersheba Magistrate's Court on Wednesday for going on a vandalism rampage at the UNESCO-recognized Uvdat archeological park last month. According to police, Hassan and Ahmad Al-Marrak, were motivated by a desire to avenge the state's demolition of illegal structures that belonged to the suspects' clan, police added. The episode began on October 4, when the Israel Lands Administration, accompanied by police, demolished a number of illegal Beduin structures in the Negev that were situated near the Uvdat site. According to the charge sheet, at approximately 10 p.m. that night, the two suspects arrived at the site "armed" with tins of paint and ropes. Under the cover of darkness, the suspects allegedly snuck into the archaeological site, which houses ancient Nabatean and Byzantine remains, and caused millions of shekels worth of damage, pouring paint on walls and smashing up the ruins. The investigation into the attack was headed by the Negev Police Subdistrict's Central Unit. Detectives zeroed in on the two suspects in the days after the incident, and arrested them. During the investigation, photographs of the suspects taken near Uvdat after the incident were obtained by police. State prosecutors concluded that sufficient evidence existed to prosecute the suspects of severe vandalism and damaging an archeological site.