Al-Batuf Regional Council Head Arrested in Northern Extortion Raid
Al-Batuf Regional Council head Ahed Rahal was arrested in northern Israel during a major police crackdown on extortion rackets, following the earlier detention of his son.
Ahed Rahal, 55, head of the Al-Batuf Regional Council, was arrested Monday during a major police operation targeting extortion rings in northern Israel. Law enforcement officials detained multiple suspects as part of the sweeping crackdown.
According to associates of the council head, Rahal went to the police station to inquire about his son, who had been taken into custody earlier. Upon his arrival at the facility, officers arrested him as well. Representatives for Rahal maintain he has no connection to the allegations brought forward by investigators.
Rahal has served as head of the Al-Batuf Regional Council, which encompasses the localities of Eilabun, Rumat al-Heib, Uzeir, and Romaana, since 2018. He was re-elected to a second term in 2024 with 56 percent of the vote. Before entering public service, Rahal served in the Israel Police. In February 2002, during an inspection of a suspicious vehicle that turned out to be booby-trapped, an explosion killed police officer Ahmad Mazarib. For his bravery and conduct during the incident, Rahal was awarded the Israel Police Medal of Valor.
The broader police operation focuses on systematic extortion and protection rackets plaguing contractors and business owners across the northern region. Local entrepreneurs report operating under severe duress, facing constant threats, demands for protection money, and vandalism of construction equipment if they refuse to pay.
