On Thursday, May 16th, ten houses and five agricultural buildings were demolished, trees were uprooted, and land was leveled in the unrecognized Bedouin village of Atir.

Massive Demolition at the Village of Atir in the Negev – Solidarity Visit in the Village on Saturday

Today, Thursday May 16^th, hundreds of policemen and Israeli Land Administration workers arrived at the Bedouin unrecognized village of Atir on 7:30 am. Police blocked all entrances to the village until 1:30 pm, and did not allow residents to get in. During this time, about 10 houses and structures were demolished and 600 trees were uprooted, leaving tens of men, women and children with no home.

Photo: Ruins of a house, today in Atir. Photography: Yoav Galai

NCF calls for an immediate cease of house demolitions! These days, when the social justice protest arise, it is inconceivable that the states makes its Bedouin citizens homeless!

On Saturday, a solidarity visit will be held following these demolitions:

From the Negev: we’ll meet at the gas station of Shoket junction at 10:30. Further details: Ofer – 050-9391299.

From Tel-Aviv: please contact Yakov: 050-5733276, or Amos: 052-6035685.

Click here for further details about the solidarity tour (Hebrew)

Click here for NCF’s press release about today’s demolitions (Hebrew)

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Protest Against Prawer Plan

On May 6^th, the Ministerial Legislation Committee approved Prawer Plan, and it was decided to put it up to vote in the Knesset, which means that every moment, Prawer Plan might become an actual law.

NCF will hold a protest in front of the “Administration for the Regulation of Bedouin Settlement in the Negev” offices in Be’er-Sheva (corner of Rager and Metzada St.) on Monday, 5 pm, under the headline – “Stopping Prawer Plan”.

We invite organizations and activists to join the protest and help us to stop the plan.

For further details: Ofer: 050-9391299

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The village of Al-Arakib was demolished for the 47 time – the struggle continues – weekly protest every Sunday

Stop house demolitions!

The village of Al-Arakib was demolished on Thursday, May 9^th, for the 47^th time.Join the weekly protest of the village of Al-Arakib, every Sunday at 4:30 pm at Lehavim junction, in solidarity with the residents of the village, to protest against the demolition policy of the government.

Transportation from Be’er-Sheva – Ofer 050-9391299, Ofer@dukium.org

Following the approval of Prawer Plan bill during the Legislative Ministry Committee’s meeting on Monday, May 6^th, NCF published a position paper on this issue. The position paper presents the changes made to the new bill, the different ways in which the plan will negatively affect the Bedouin community in the Negev and the fact that the implementation of the plan will affect the whole area.

NCF calls for the immediate withdrawal of the bill.

Click here for the full position paper.

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Demonstration in Jerusalem: Stop Prawer Plan

On Monday, May 6^th, a demonstration was held in front of the Prime Minister’s Office in Jerusalem, during the meeting of the Legislative Ministry Committee who voted on the Prawe Plan implementation bill. Although the short note, approximately 200 protesters, Bedouin from the Negev and other activists, participated and called for the withdrawal of the bill.

Photo: the demonstration in front of the Prime Minister’s Office.

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Emergency Conference was Held in Be’er-Sheva Following the Vote on Prawer Plan Bill

On Wednesday, May 8^th, a bug conference was held in Be’er-Sheva, organized by the Headquarters for Justice and Equality for the Bedouin in the Negev in cooperation with the Regional Council of the Bedouin Unrecognized Villages. Among the various speakers at the conference, Hanan Al-Sana of Sidre, Attorney Rawia Aburabia of ACRI and Haia Noach, NCF’s executive director, spoke against the Prawer Plan. During the conference, the attendees discussed how to continue the struggle against the plan, which its bill was already approved on Monday.

Photo: Haia Noach speaks during the conference in Be’er-Sheva.

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House Demolitions in the Negev

·         On May 9^th, one house was demolished in the village of Hirbat Al-Batl, south of Rahat.

·         On May 9^th, The village of Al-Arakib was demolished for the 47^thtime (Click here for the full list of demolitions of Al-Arakib).

·         On May 9^th, one structure was demolished in the town of Segev-Shalom.

·         On May 9^th, one house was demolished in the village of A-Sayed.

Click here for NCF’s full list of house demolitions in the Negev

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Upcoming events at the Multaka-Mifgash

On the Side of the Road and in the Margins of Consciousness—Depopulated Palestinian Villages of 1948 in the Israeli discourse

Marking the Nakba day 2013, Multaka-Mifgash invites you to meet Noga Kadman for a talk about her book.

On Sunday, May 12^th at 7:30 pm at the Multaka-Mifgash, Arab-Jewish culture center in the Negev, number 7 King Solomon St. Be’er-Sheva.

For further details please contact Doron: Doron@dukium.org

Click here for the Facebook event.

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NCF Holds House Meetings around the Country

In the last couple of weeks, NCF holds house meetings about Prawer Plan and its implications around the country. On Wednesday, May 8^th, we held a talk in Be’er-Sheva, with Khalil Al-Amour, member of NCF’s secretariat, and Ofer Dagan, NCF’s field coordinator. 15 participants, Jews and Arabs, attended the meeting and learned about the Bedouin villages in the Negev and the State’s policy in this area.

Interested in organizing a similar event? Please contact Noa at 052-5908400, jenin.ltd@gmail.com

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Negev Coexistence Forum is Looking for a Resource Development Coordinator

Please click here for further details about the position.

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The village of Al-Arakib was demolished for the 47 time – the struggle continues – weekly protest every Sunday

!Stop house demolitions

The village of Al-Arakib was demolished on Thursday, May 9^th, for the 47^th time. Join the weekly protest of the village of Al-Arakib, every Sunday at 4:30 pm at Lehavim junction, in solidarity with the residents of the village, to protest against the demolition policy of the government.

Transportation from Be’er-Sheva – Ofer 050-9391299, Ofer@dukium.org

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For more details go to our website: www.dukium.org | Follow us on Twitter:@ForumDuKium | Join our Facebook page: 
Negev Coexistence Forum  | פורום דו-קיום בנגב | منتدى تعايش في النقب

Furthermore, the Ministerial Committee made a number of conditions that could make this already problematic Plan even more devastating for the Bedouin population. These are the following:

• The Plan will incorporate a map, specifying which settlements will be added to the existing villages and the locations of areas of land compensation.

• The timeline for implementation will be reduced from five to three years.

• A Ministerial Committee will be appointed with the responsibility of monitoring the program and will receive periodic reports on its implementation.

• An additional 250 police will be appended to the existing forces that are already tasked with implementing the plan.

These terms were dictated by extreme Right-wing members of the Committee and the Government. They demonstrate the political interests underlying the legislative process and expose the intent to supervise, centralize and direct this Plan. By decreasing the timeline for expelling tens of thousands of citizens from their lands, limiting the Bedouins’ property rights and displaying a map designed to ensure that “the Bedouin will not be given too much land” while also increasing the police force responsible for the expulsion, the Committee has created a program that will maximize Jewish ownership of Negev lands without any consideration of the Bedouin community’s needs, civil rights and connection to the land.

The Negev Coexistence Forum believes that this law formalizes a process that is destructive to the future of the Negev. We are dismayed that the State has designated such extensive resources towards police enforcement of a violent and oppressive strategy, while these resources could be directed to recognizing existing villages, developing their infrastructure, improving the welfare of the population and furthering the long-term interests of all residents of the Negev—Jews and Arabs.

The implementation of the Plan, which was not shared with the Bedouin and is fiercely opposed by a majority of the community, is absolutely unjust. It reflects an abuse of Government power that serves only Jewish citizens. In fact, it damages the long-term interests of the public at large. The State should use it power wisely, otherwise it sabotages the authority granted to it by the public. Policy-makers are aware that giving the Jewish residents more rights and resources at the expense of the Arab population constitutes racial and ethnic discrimination, but they still continue to privilege the Jewish population at the expense of Israel’s Arab citizens. This policy perpetuates the continued oppression and the weakening of Bedouin Arabs, exacerbates alienation and hatred among populations in the Negev, and gravely undermines civil society.

This is a patently, unjust law and every effort must be made to prevent its implementation. There is still time to stop the law before it is finally ratified by the Knesset, and we will do all we can to convince our leaders of its negative consequences. Preventing this bill would further the long-term interests of all residents of the Negev—both Jewish and Arab.

We call on members of Arab and Jewish communities alike to join forces with us in this crucial struggle; it concerns us all.

Ministry of Construction and Housing

Authority for Regulating Bedouin Settlement in the Negev

Chamber Director

To:

Mr. Avner Ben – Amos

Forum Dukium – The Negev Coexistence Forum for Civil Equality

Omer

Re: Counter-Claim Report and Demolition Report Concerning the Bedouin Arabs in the Negev

Reference: Your letter dated 25.3.2013

Greetings,

Housing Minister Uri Ariel asked me to reply to your letter that was shown to him.  After consulting with the professional authorities, I hereby respond as follows:

Firstly, regarding counter claims, your claim of injustice and/or lack of fairness of the legal proceedings taken by the judicial authorities in Israel is not within the responsibility of the Ministry of Construction and Housing, and I advise you to address your inquiry to the Ministry of Justice.

However, I would like to respond to the merits of the claim.  As we know, ownership claims of Negev Bedouin are permitted by the state and are filed in accordance with due process in the courts in Israel.  The process of investigating these claims is designed in order to permit a legal inquirry in the courts and to check the applicability of Bedouin ownership claims.  The fact that, at the end of the day, most of the land was registered in the name of the State of Israel was due to two reasons:

• The inability of the plaintiffs to prove ownership of property that they claim or that they have received or purchased land in such a manner that secures their rights to the land.

• Despite the fact that the State has allowed Bedouin to claim ownership of the land and that they filed their claims, in most cases, the plaintiffs have not shown up in court, especially at the stage of presenting evidence.  As a result the court could not investigate the claims of the plaintiffs, and the ruling was done in their absence.

The  data that I have shows that thousands of claims have been filed, but the court has heard only about 300 claims so far.  At the same time, and with no connection to the claims,  the State aims to reach a solution of compromise with the plaintiffs through the Authority for Regulating   Bedouin Settlements in the Negev.Furthermore, as you know, for the past two years , the Attorney General informed the court that the deliberation in this matter has been suspended because of the legislative process relating to the regulation of Bedouin settlement, and as of the date of your letter no new counter claims  are being served.

Secondly, regarding the demolition of houses built without permits: Due to the government’s desire to regulate Bedouin settlement in the Negev, the authorities decided on the policy of “East Wind.”  According to this policy, the State operates mainly against new illegal construction built without a permit.

Your claim that tens of thousands of Bedouin citizens were left homeless is inconsistent with the policy of “East Wind” and the State’s actions to regulate Bedouin settlement in the Negev.  As per this policy, the State is planning to allocate tens of thousands of plots for the Bedouin population in the Negev.  As of February 2013, 14,617 developed plots were sold,  3,156 plots have been developed  and are ready for marketing, and 10,650 plots have yet to be fully developed.

In addition, the Authority for Regulating Bedouin Settlement in the Negev is cooperating with other authorities to increase the percentage of additional construction in existing plots to allow expansion of existing homes or the construction of additional housing units in existing plots.

Yehuda Bachar, General Manager

Cc: Mr. Uri Ariel, Housing Minister

Please click here for further details about the position.

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Upcoming events at the Multaka-Mifgash

On the Side of the Road and in the Margins of Consciousness—Depopulated Palestinian Villages of 1948 in the Israeli discourse

Marking the Nakba day 2013, Multaka-Mifgash invites you to meet Noga Kadman for a talk about her book.

On Sunday, May 12^th at 7:30 pm at the Multaka-Mifgash, Arab-Jewish culture center in the Negev, number 7 King Solomon St. Be’er-Sheva.

For further details please contact Doron: Doron@dukium.org

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As part of a joint project of Negev Coexistence Forum and Adala, supported by the European Union, we held last Saturday, April 27^th, a human rights violations workshop at the Bedouin unrecognized village of Al-Zarnug. 15 women, residents of the village, participated in the workshop. During the workshop, which aims to give the residents of the unrecognized villages the means to struggle and to protect their rights, NCF coordinators, Ratb Abu-Krinat and Michal Rotem, led two parts about cooperation, maximizing struggle success and organizing the village to struggle, and about documentation, new media and working with the press, in order to promote the struggle and raise awareness. Attorney Suhad Beshara of Adala led a section about human rights protection and violations.

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NCF staff and villages representatives studied together about the Be’er-Sheva Metropolitan Plan

On Tuesday, April 30, a meeting about the Beer Sheva Metropolitan Plan was held at the Multaka-Mifgash, led by Planner Nili Baruch of Bimkom. The participants were representatives of the Bedouin unrecognized villages committees, representatives of the Regional Council of the Bedouin Unrecognized Villages and NCF’s staff. During the meeting, we learned about the plan itself and its impact on the unrecognized villages.

At the end of the meeting, the RCUV members and the NCF staff provided the villages representatives testimonials, acknowledging their contribution to the success of the biking tour which was held early this month.

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The village of Al-Arakib was demolished for the 46 time – the struggle continues – weekly protest every Sunday

!Stop house demolitions

The village of Al-Arakib was demolished on Wednesday, April 10^th, for the 46 time. Join the weekly protest of the village of Al-Arakib, every Sunday at 4:30 pm at Lehavim junction, in solidarity with the residents of the village, to protest against the demolition policy of the government.

Transportation from Be’er-Sheva – Ofer 050-9391299, Ofer@dukium.org

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:For more details go to: www.dukium.org | Follow us on Twitter:@ForumDuKium | Join our Facebook page 
Negev Coexistence Forum  | פורום דו-קיום בנגב | منتدى تعايش في النقب

The Resource Development Coordinator will be responsible for:

• Maintaining relationships with existing donors and preparing interim and final reports;
• Identifying new potential sources of funding; and
• Preparing LOIs and grant proposals

Position requirements:

• Native English speaker – essential
• Working knowledge of Hebrew – preferred
• At least 1 year proven experience in grant writing with experience in human rights, minority rights or coexistence projects
• Excellent writing and communication skills
• Prior knowledge of’ and demonstrated commitment to’ the challenges facing the Negev Bedouin

To apply, send a sample grant application you have written and your CV to info@dukium.org Incomplete applications will not be considered. Only applicants invited to an interview will be contacted.

The Multaka-Mifgash presents: screening of the movie ‘My Neighbourhood’and a talk with Moriel Rothman of Just Vision [2012, 25 minutes].

On Monday, April 29^th 2013, at the Multaka-Mifgash, NCF’s Arab-Jewish culture center, Number 7 King Solomon St. (Shlomo Hamelech), Be’er-Sheva.

Mohammed El Kurd is a Palestinian boy growing up in the neighborhood of Sheikh Jarrah in the heart of East Jerusalem. When Mohammed turns 11, his family is forced to give up part of their home to Israeli settlers, who are leading a campaign of court-sanctioned evictions to guarantee Jewish control of the area.
Shortly after their displacement, Mohammed’s family and other residents begin peacefully protesting against the evictions, determined not to lose their homes for good. In a surprising turn, they are quickly joined by scores of Israeli supporters who are horrified to see what is being done in their name. Among them is Jewish West Jerusalem resident Zvi Benninga and his sister Sara, who develop a strong relationship with Mohammed and his family as they take on a leading role in organizing the protests.

‘My Neighbourhood’ is directed and produced by Rebekah Wingert-Jabi, who documented Mohammed’s story over two years, and acclaimed filmmaker Julia Bacha.

Click here for the movie trailer.

Click here for the Facebook event.

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House demolitions in the Negev

• On Thursday, April 18, a shop was demolished at the village of Wadi Al-Na’am.
• On Thursday, April 18, a house was demolished at the village of Umm-Ratam.
• On Thursday, April 18, a house was demolished south of Rahat.
• On Monday, April 22, a house was demolished at the city of Rahat.
• On Monday, April 22, a shack was demolished north of Ar’ara Benegev.

Click here for NCF’s full list of house demolitions in the Negev

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The village of Al-Arakib was demolished for the 46 time – the struggle continues – weekly protest every Sunday

!Stop house demolitions

The village of Al-Arakib was demolished on Wednesday, April 10^th, for the 46 time. Join the weekly protest of the village of Al-Arakib, every Sunday at 4:30 pm at Lehavim junction, in solidarity with the residents of the village, to protest against the demolition policy of the government.

Transportation from Be’er-Sheva – Ofer 050-9391299, Ofer@dukium.org

________________________________

For more details go to our website: www.dukium.org | Follow us on Twitter:@ForumDuKium | Join our Facebook page: 
Negev Coexistence Forum  | פורום דו-קיום בנגב | منتدى تعايش في النقب

Cycling Tour for Recognition and Equality

A cycling tour, hosted by NCF and the Regional Council of Unrecognized Villages (RCUV) in cooperation with a group of international activists (from three Belgian NGOs), took place from April 2nd to April 6th.  Festivities kicked off Monday night with a meet-and-greet meal at NCF’s Multaka-Mifgash Cultural Center; about fifty individuals attended this event.

During the tour, the 35 participants rode everyday between 13 of the villages in the Negev-Naqab. These villages included Umm al-Hiran, which the government plans to replace with a Jewish settlement called Hiran; Hashem Zane, which was recently zoned for the expansion of Route 6 where homes now stand; and Al Arakib, which has been destroyed 45 times.  Participants from abroad were hosted in the villages and took part in cultural events conducted by the villages’ Bedouin residents.  During the tour, the international activists joined the Bedouin community in protesting the government’s devastating and discriminatory policies.

NCF spokesman Ofer Dagan stated the following about the tour:

The cycling tour is a project aimed to broaden the scale of
solidarity actions between Jewish and Arab citizens in Israel
and amplify our mutual call for a change in policy that will
allow for coexistence in the Negev and throughout the State.
We hope that the tour will also achieve closer intercultural
relations on the ground by working together towards equality
and mutual respect and by resisting the current policy, which
is devastating for all citizens of the Negev.

NCF’s Racism Report Published and Receiving Significant Press Coverage

On Thursday, March 21st 2013, NCF published a report, which presents an updated picture of the gap between the state services that are allocated to Jewish verses Bedouin Arab villages in the Negev-Naqab.  This report was developed in honor of the International Day for the Elimination of Racial Discrimination.

The report demonstrates that the population density of the Bedouin towns ranges from a ratio of about one thousand people per square kilometer to up to 2,700 people per square kilometer.  Meanwhile, in Jewish towns, the ratio does not exceed 400 inhabitants per square kilometer.  The report further reveals that the unemployment rate in the Bedouin townships is substantially higher than the average in southern Israel.  This is, at least in part, due to the fact that there are no employment bureaus in most Bedouin towns.

Furthermore, the report demonstrates that with regards to public services—banking, postal, transport and communications, there is a big deficit in service accessibility in Arab towns compared to that in Jewish towns. For example, the Jewish town of Omer has a full mail service, bank, and phone service infrastructure for it 7,000 inhabitants.  Conversely, the nearby Bedouin town of Tel Sheva has only partial postal and telephone services and no bank branches for its 16,000 inhabitants.

This report received media coverage from both Hebrew and English editions of Haaretz newspaper as well as a local television news station and extensive coverage in Arabic newspapers.  The article from the English edition of Haaretz can be found here: http://www.haaretz.com/news/national/bedouin-sector-weakest-in-israel-due-to-systemic-neglect.premium-1.511589.

NCF Hosted Conference Regarding the Forced Relocation of Bedouin in the Negev-Naqab via the Begin Plan

The Recognition Forum and NCF jointly hosted a conference on Monday, March 18th, 2013 at 19:00 at the Tzavta Cultural Center in Tel Aviv.  At the conference, Bedouin leaders and Jewish activists served as the panelists and discussed a bill, which included Minister Begin recommendations for the Prawer-Amidror Plan, for forcibly relocating and resettling Bedouins.  This bill has been altered two times, approved by the government, and is now awaiting review by the new Legislative Minister’s Committee.  If approved by the Legislative Minister’s Committee, the bill will be submitted to the Knesset for the first call.

This bill, if implemented, will significantly endanger tens of thousands of Bedouins who will be uprooted from their villages, homes, and ways of life. They will also lose the possibility of returning to their lands in the future as a result of the plan. To coerce the Bedouin population to leave their lands, the State has begun a wide-scale series of house demolitions and destruction of crops.

The conference was attended by over a hundred individuals, including Arab, Jewish and international audience members.

The purpose of the upcoming journey is to support Arab-Bedouin citizens who live in unrecognized villages in the Negev/Naqab and who struggle for recognition, equal civil rights and essential state services.

Thus, we will visit the village of Um El Hiran, which is doomed to be demolish to make way for a Jewish settlement in its place.  Additionally, we will visit the village of Hashem Zane, which is on territory that the state plans to use to pave a new highway.  We will also visit the largest Bedouin village in the Negev – Wadi Al Na’am (with more than 10,000 residents).  According to the newly approved Prawer-Begin Plan, residents of Wadi Al Na’am will be relocated to the Segev Shalom township.

Each night, the activists will be hosted in one of the villages, will meet with the local community, and will participate in cultural activities.  The journey will end in the village of Al Arakib, which has been demolished over 40 times in the last 3 years in order to plant a forest north of Beer Sheva.

NCF spokesman Ofer Dagan stated:
The cycling tour is a project aimed to achieve closer intercultural relations on the ground by working together towards equality and mutual respect and by resisting the current policy, which is devastating for all citizens of the Negev.  We hope that the tour will broaden the scale of solidarity actions between Jewish and Arab citizens in Israel and amplify our mutual call for a change in policy that will allow coexistence in the Negev and throughout the State.
 

For details, please contact Ofer Dagan: 050-9391299or Ofer@dukium.org