An Egged public bus in Haifa, Israel. Photo: Wikimedia Commons.

Israeli ministers have decried an ongoing series of stone-throwing attacks on buses in the country’s southern Negev desert, saying this “terror” will no longer be tolerated, Israel’s N12 news outlet reported.

According to Israel’s main bus company Egged, there have been 21 stone-throwing attacks on buses throughout the northern Negev over the last three years.

Drivers have complained repeatedly of serious damage to their vehicles, as well as incidents that have been potentially life-threatening.

The motive in all cases is believed to be either nationalism or religious fundamentalism. The perpetrators have been residents of Bedouin villages in the area.

Egged emphasized that there are likely many more incidents that go unreported as they do not cause significant damage.

In a joint statement, Israeli Public Security Minister Omer Barlev and Transportation Minister Meirav Michaeli described the stoning attacks as “terror in every way,” adding, “we must act in order to bring the stone-throwers to justice.”

The ministers said they are working to determine next steps “to protect the security of bus drivers and all passengers,” and understand “the severity of these incidents,” which must be prevented “from occurring in the future.”

Barlev noted that security forces and the police are already operating against crime and violence in the Arab sector, including in the Negev, which is beginning to have an effect.

“However,” he said, “as long as there is one citizen who feels unsafe traveling on Israel’s roads, there is still a lot of work ahead of us.”

“The south will no longer be abandoned!” he pledged.