פורום דו-קיום בנגב לשוויון אזרחי Negev Coexistence Forum For Civil Equality The Negev Coexistence Forum Newsletter 16th Edition, February 2012 Published in Hebrew/Arabic bilingual handout format (see www.dukium.org) A word from the editor This is the sixteenth edition of the Negev Coexistence Forum for Civil Equality’s newsletter. As in previous editions, we have brought to you coverage of the events that have occurred in the Negev over the past few months. Following the decision of the government to accept the Prawer plan, which we reported about in the last newsletter, the Ministry of Justice announced on January 3rd the legal memorandum “Law on the Regulation of Bedouin Settlement in the Negev”. It’s worth noting that the memorandum is vague and cumbersome and that it is not accompanied by a map of the future villages (nor are they referred to at all in the memorandum). Objections to the memorandum can be filed until the 18th of March 2012. You are welcome to keep up to date on the Negev Coexistence Forum for Civil Equality website, as well as by way of Facebook and Twitter, where you will also find information on activities and events organized by members of the Forum. We thank the many volunteers that contribute to the activities of the NCF, and those that help to plan, prepare and distribute this newsletter. We hope that reading this newsletter will enrich your knowledge of events in the Negev. The Policy of Bedouin Home Demolitions in the Negev By Haia Noach The policy of house demolitions 5,000 local residents was transferred of the State of Israel.1 These people has been employed by the various to the towns of Kasifa, Aruar, and cannot build their homes legally, Israeli governments as a means other places. since there is no government policy of concentrating the or building plan within Bedouin in destitute Demolitions, photographed by Yosef Abu-Madigem (age 8) as their villages. The only and neglected towns part of the Negev Coexistence Forum photography workshop, alternative they are where there are no Al-Arakib, January 2011 being offered is to means of earning move to the towns. The a living. Life in increased enforcement these towns is also of these policies and contradictory to the their results in the form Bedouins’ traditional of increased house rural lifestyle. The demolitions are part Israeli government is of the government’s attempting to gather attempts to forcefully the Bedouin in these concentrate the entire towns by employing Bedouin population of various legislative, legal, the Negev in poverty- and administrative stricken, neglected methods. During the towns and to use 1950s, for example, their land for building the army ordered Jewish settlements. An residents of many villages to leave The courts have also been unjust example of this is the plan to build the their historical places of residence, towards the Bedouin in the Jewish settlement of Hiran on land and then confiscated their land Negev. The present government belonging to the unrecognized village through the Land Acquisition Law is employing policies similar to of Um al Hiran, the plan to plant of 1953. previous governments of withholding forests on the land belonging to the services and infrastructures such as villages of Al-Arakib and Twayil Abu The Bedouins’ living space in the water, electricity, health care, and Jarwal, as well as plans to develop Negev has also been reduced by education. This policy is designed industry and pave roads. various legislations such as the to force residents of the villages to Planning and Construction Law and move to the towns. House demolitions are an infringement the Land Acquisition Law of 1981. 1 These numbers are derived from This law was also known as “the The policy of home demolition is perhaps the worst of these actions. publications of the Central Bureau of Peace Law”, since the Bedouin were Statistics, but apparently do not reflect required “to pay the price of peace” This policy constitutes the threat of destruction of the unrecognized the exact number of residents, many with Egypt. An area of approximately of whom are registered in existing or 80,000 dunams (20,000 acres) at Tel- villages and the eviction of 53,000 Bedouin residents – who are citizens planned towns in order to allow them Malchata was confiscatedby means to vote in local elections or for other of this law, and the population of reasons. Negev Coexistence Forum for Civil Equality P.O. Box 130, Omer 84965, Israel Phone: 050-7701118/9 E-mail: [email protected] Web: www.dukium.org The Policy of Bedouin Home Demolitions in the Negev (continued from page 1) upon basic human rights and violate that dealt with the right to housing homes in the Negev. The objective the right to shelter, housing, and among the Arab Bedouin in the Negev, of the plan, as stated in the outline, suitable living conditions that is and presented a follow-up of home is to bring about an “end” to the granted by the United Nations demolitions in the Negev. This year land conflictsbetween the Bedouin Universal Declaration of Human the findings are more serious than and the state within five years, but Rights. The policy of home demolitions those of last year, and are evidence if the plan is implemented it will is a racist policy, devoid of any of continued violation throughout cause only chaos and deepen the long-range chances of success, the year of the basic rights of the conflict between the Bedouin and and is harming the fabric of life in Bedouin living in the Negev. The the government. the Negev. 2011 report shows that there was During the month of November state a sharp increase in the number of Thousands of policemen and members representatives implemented two demolitions of homes belonging to of special forces participate in these campaigns that were unprecedented the Bedouin residents of the Negev. demolitions. Violence is often used, in their expanse. One was called During 2010 approximately 456 and families are left without shelter “Firm Arm” and took place at the houses were demolished, while during the cold winter and the beginning of November and involved 1,000 homes were demolished hot summer months. The choice the demolition of 33 homes. The between January and the beginning of the government to employ the other was called “Guardian of the of December in 2011 – an increase of mechanism of house demolition Negev” and involved the demolition 120%. This number does not include instead of negotiations or dialogue of 22 homes. We need not dwell on the houses that were demolished leaves thousands of men, women, the significance of the names of by state representatives during the and children with severe mental these campaigns, but it should be month of December. scars and a deep mistrust of the noted that during each one state state system that is supposed to The new Prawer-Amidror outline plan, representatives threatened home protect their rights. which the government approved in owners that they would be fined the September 2011 and which will be cost of the demolitions. Consequently, The Negev Coexistence Forum for brought for legislation in the current 45% of the homeowners demolished Civil Equality published a report Knesset session, is liable to result their homes themselves. for the second consecutive year in the increased demolitions of Arab A Review of News in the Negev, October 2011 – January 2012 On October The photographs are accompanied by quotations as well as the fact that we actively recruit a broad October 2011 4th activists from various United Nations Committees regarding spectrum of voices, including Bedouin women and demonstrating against the Prawer-Amidror Plan the Bedouin in the Negev. Arab and Jewish students from the Ben Gurion received orders to dismantle their protest tent. University of the Negev. The tent was set up opposite the offices of the On October 15th activists from the Negev Administration for Arrangement of Bedouin Coexistence Forum for Civil Equality joined During the month of October Michal Rotem, head Settlements in Be’er Sheva on September 20th residents of the village of Al-Arakib in protest co-ordinator of the Negev Coexistence Forum, and was manned by organizations and movements activities against the Prawer-Amidror Plan at participated in a delegation to the United States of residents of the Negev. An appeal of the orders the Beit Kama Junction. The junction was filled together with Rawia Aburabia from the Association was submitted by the Association for Human with signs protesting the program, and flyers for Human Rights, Hanan Al Sana from Sidra, Rights and an agreement was reached allowing were distributed to passers-by. and Ta’abat Abu RaRass from Adalah. During the the tent to remain until October 25th. two week visit the delegation met with American On October 25th members of the Negev Arab leaders, religious communities, and the media. On October 6th 2,500 Jews and Arabs participated Steering Committee held a series of demonstrations The delegation explained the complex situation in a demonstration organized by the Governing against the Prawer-Amidror Plan at various that existed in the Negev, the opposition of the Committee of the Arabs in the Negev against the junctions throughout the Negev. Activists from Bedouin community to the Prawer Plan, and the Prawer-Amidror Plan. The plan calls for evicting the Negev Coexistence Forum joined residents of difficult situation ofthe village of Al-Arakib that and uprooting 30,000 Bedouin Arabs from their Al-Arakib at the demonstration at the Lehavim was demolished by the state. villages and gathering them into urban settlements.