Baqa al-Gharbiya Family Fights Extortion and Forces Rare Apology
The Abu Mokh family in Baqa al-Gharbiya successfully fought off a protection money extortion attempt following a supermarket shooting, forcing a rare public apology.
Refusing protection money in Arab society often ends in violence and even murder. Fortunately, an extortion attempt in Baqa al-Gharbiya recently concluded with a rare apology from the perpetrator to the victims.
After unknown assailants opened fire on the "Habib" supermarket in Baqa al-Gharbiya, owned by Issa Shafiq Abu Mokh, following his refusal to pay hundreds of thousands of shekels in protection money, the Abu Mokh family launched a 10-day struggle against the extortion phenomenon. Family members of all ages halted their work and absorbed financial losses to avoid yielding to the demand.
Every day, hundreds of family members gathered at the site, held protests, chanted against the phenomenon, and guarded the area 24 hours a day. The family told ynet that the united public struggle proved that communities can stand up to extortion and violence, ultimately forcing the culprits to apologize and stay away.
