[2] He built his career in the police, eventually attaining the rank of general in the criminal security branch of the Ministry of Interior.

From 1993 to 2000 he served as Governor of Hama, a major Sunni region in Syria.

He headed the important National Security Bureau from 2000 to 2005 and since then has been the Assistant Secretary of the Syrian Regional Command of the Baath Party, the second highest position in the political party after the Syrian president.

[citation needed] Bekheitan was described by sources as an old guard Ba'athist who opposed reform efforts in Syria, even from inside the Ba'ath party.

He was sanctioned by the European Union for "his senior decision making role in the repression of protesters participating in the Syrian Civil War".