More than 800 protest Bedouin house demolitions in front of Knesset
Bedouin to set up tent city near Knesset for those whose homes have been demolished or are slated for demolition.
By Mijal GrinbergMore than 800 people protested in front of the Knesset on Monday against the government practice of demolishing Bedouin homes in the Negev.
The protestors came in 17 buses from southern Israel, and called on the government to "stop destroying homes."
After the demonstration, in the afternoon, the Bedouin began constructing what they called a "refugee camp" in the Wohl Rose Garden across from the Knesset, which is to house both the Bedouin who have had their homes destroyed and those whose homes are slated for demolition.
The encampment will be made up of three tents ? one for women, one for men and one for families. Some 30 people are expected to spend Monday night in the camp.
The Arab MKs and Dov Hanin (Hadash) visited the site. The organizers are demanding the government halt the demolitions and launch a dialogue with the Bedouin population in order to reach a joint land agreement on the unrecognized village.
The Bedouin claim ownership to some 800,000 dunams of land, or 6 percent of the territory of the Negev desert in southern Israel. To this day, Israel refuses to recognize the claims, and an estimated 75,000 Bedouin live in villages unrecognized by the government, which do not enjoy public funding or services.
Eleven unrecognized villages have received state recognition in the past several years, but 36 more have no legal status, and the homes in these villages are subject to demolition. In 2007, the government had 110 homes destroyed.
One community slated for demolition is A-Sira, which has organized to submit petitions against the move to the High Court of Justice. The government claims that A-Sira, near the Nevatim junction in the Negev, sits on land acquired in the 1980s through Israel's peace deal in Egypt, which saw an exchange of territories between the two countries.
However, the Bedouin of the village never received compensation for this land, and demolition orders for some of their homes were issued in 2006. Orders for the rest were issued this month.
The Israel Lands Administration says that the residents were offered plots in the permanent Bedouin settlement of Hura, but the this claim was met with surprise by the residents themselves. According to the Interior Ministry, the residents were asked to evacuate the premises two decades ago, after the land was expropriated in 1982 to hold future army bases. The families, however, say the order came just last year.
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Children taking part in a protest in Jerusalem on Monday against the demolition of Bedouin homes. (Reuters) |
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Simba, Historically, the "Palestinians" were the Jews and Arabs of Palestine. In 1947 the UN divided the land into 2 states - 1 for the Jews and 1 for Arabs. Both were expected to absorb members of the other left on their territory. In the 1948 war some Arabs remained in their homes and became Israeli citizens (including Druze and Bedouins). Others fled to the area alloted for an Arab state. Jordan, however, occupied this area and kept it's residents in refugee camps. In 1967 Israel fought off 3 armies and ran Jordan back into thier own territory. Those illegally occupied by Jordan were now stateless. They are the Palestinians of today. Aparthied is a policy of dividing a people by their race or culture and seperating them legally to prevent contact and relationships. The imposing party is usually stronger and thus removes a weaker element from the protection and benefits of the government. We have as many issues in Israel - Aparthied is NOT one of them.
The entire Negev has been legally part of Israel since Nov 1949. It came with an ancient nomadic people who weren't into the whole "national struggle" of their arab bretheren. They simply accepted the Israeli govn't authority (and the Egyptian authority in Sinai). Israeli Bedouin were largely ignored by the state until the late 60's - unless their tribal areas were required. Many were compensated with alternative lands and by 67 some were moved into permanent settlements. Shortly afterwards, for a limited period, Bedouin were permitted to stake legal land claims to the Negev according to their tribal borders. Some did. Others didn't know about it or were illiterate and unable to fill in the forms. Spontaneous settlements also began. The claim of "legal land ownership" in the Negev is complex. The Bedouin have every right to protest. And Olmert has an obligation to listen.
There is no such a thing in nature, that Israel does not want its own land. The simple fact that this or that arab tribe bedouin or no bedouin is moving from one place to other in the Negev or Sinai, does't mean that they have any claim to the land which is 100% Israel's. Bedouin's future just as the pal's is in arab lands far from the Israel's prapor. No effort of US or Arabs or even by some sick Israelis will change the natural law, WHICH MEANS ARABS OF WHATEVER TRIBE MUST LIVE WITH ARABS FAR AWAY FROM ISRAEL.
It was them the name Israel derives from .Their powerful culture ,which left so many traces in history is being erased by the Zios,despite of opposition of the true Human Beings like yourself.
I bet you are right.
It is in the immediate, and long term, best interests of Israel to treat the Bedu with respect, talk with them and come to a compromise. It is also the decent, caring Jewish thing to do. These are human beings who can enrich the country.
Kate's words are appreciated and clarify things for many who don't know the Bedouin history in Israel. Ancestral lands of many tribes have been confiscated without the govt. providing a suitable alternative.They have forced children and adults into severe poverty. Many Bedouin want to continue their pastoral life which is not possible if they are forced, as most govt. officials want, into the 7 existing Bedouin townships. Nuri El Okbi has been protesting this policy for over a year with a non-violent sit-in on his tribal lands (documents prove El Arakib belongs to them). He is constantly harrassed by the Green Patrol and his one-man tent has been confiscated time and time again. He's also experienced police brutality despite his non-violence. His tent was confiscated once more yesterday. It's time for the govt. to recognize ALL of its citizens as equals.
Native Austarlians went through this. Israel has been doing this to the Palestinians for many decades. Now its the turn of the Bedouins. Next it will be Druze.
No, sadly, you cannot demonstrate in N. Korea or Syria: it will be newsworthy if it does happen. However, if the police start shooting in a Democracy: Pakistan, Afganistan, Irak, that is a terrible newsworthy, which is not the case in Israel. Whether you are Jewish, Druze, Circasian, Christian or Muslim, yes you are allowed to demonstrate with no impunity or any threat; it is when you threatening the Democracy with violence then, the State has to preserve its security and the safety of its citizens, no matter what religion they belong to; then it is newsworthy.
It never ceases to amaze me how stupid and short-sighted the government's policy toward the bedouin has been. This is a group that has demonstrated its loyalty to the State. Yet the governemnt instead of reaching out and embracing dialogue, insists on alienating the bedouin and turing them into bitter enemies. It's like watching a tragic train wreck in the making.
Who Said North Korea , syria and libya were demoncracies ?? no one , it is Israel that tell everyone beyond boredome it is a democracy yet does not behave like one , and has roads for Jews Only and generous Budgets for Jews ONLY. and right for return for Jews Only .
The BEdouins were already there in the Negev before the Ukrainians and the polish and the Czech and the russians arrived by Boat .
You neglected to include the Egyptian Bedouin that keep floating across the border. I know darn well that Tzahal has had Bedouin scouts and Israel has Bedouin citizens. Are you saying that Bedouin are being dispossed from legally held lands? If they're legal and recognized they would have been allowed to remain.
that you, Haaretz, have to give a prominent space for something a Liberal Democratic State allows. You know about the interesting things to be reported: when a dog bites a man is usual, it is when a Man bites a Dog that has a worthy reporting. Haaretz should bring us something out of the ordinary: again to repeat Demonstrations are the main usual demonstration of a usual Democratic state. Should this happens in let's say Libya or N. Korea or even Syria, then it is worth reporting: because such an event is not usual in those countries.
The 170,000 Negev Bedouin live in Israel proper and are citizens of the state. The Negev was partitioned to Israel on Nov 29, 1949. Formerly it was under the British and before that part of the Turkish Ottoman Empire. The Egyptians illegally invaded the Negev and held it between May thru Oct 21, 1948 - a total of 6 months. The Bedouin are currently in transistion from a nomadic to a sedentary lifestyle - a decision made by the State. It's a tough transition and we've made a lot of mistakes along the way but we are learning. Currently, many Bedouin serve in the IDF, though opportunities after service for work are limited as is education and infrastructure services.
You've lost your bet. Just two words say it all. 'GUSH KATIF" !!
Who said they were citizens? They're living in unrecognized areas acquired from the Egyptian's. You have Arab MK's who most certainly are citizens, that have performed treasonously against the country, they've been invited more than once to pack up and leave. You have many of your Sabra's, that have made Yeridah, along with Olim that have done the same. Unhappy, they had a choice, stay or go, the elected with their feet. Unhappy Beouin can do likewise, they have no roots.
Sir, in the same way as the USA operates it's democracy - we do likewise. If citizens of the State of Israel (regardless of race, origin, religion, sex or taste in clothes) disagree with their government's decisions they are permitted to protest. ...whether right or wrong... whether their protest is fruitful or not... whether their cause is just or unjust.... In Israel we don't tell our citizens to "shut up or leave the country". I'm pretty sure that the US has a similar policy.
Unfortunately, Israel has booted plenty of Jews rather than removing the imminent threat the arabs certainly pose to Israel's security, whether beduin or not.
How much Jewish owned land has been confiscated without compensation? How many Jewish homes have been bulldozed by the Government? I bet the answer to both is zero.
They're Egyptian Beduin living on land acquired from Egypt. All they have to do is go back across the border from whence they came.
-gypt by the State of Israel? Why don't they move to Egypt then!
Israels leaders are letting the Bedouin know that they don't want their land at the moment, due to the fact that it is worthless, HOWEVER, they are reserving the right to confiscate it at any future time should it ever become valuable to Israel.