House demolitions in the Negev One of the principle means by which the government coerces the residents of unrecognized villages to abandon their land and relocate to government-planned towns is through not providing an avenue for authorized construction within these villages and demolishing houses. The government issues demolition orders to houses that were built without permits. Then, from among the houses which receive such demolition orders, the government officials choose at random which homes will in fact be demolished. The house owner has only to guess if it will be his house next and when the bulldozers will appear. More often than not, the house is demolished along with other family property as residents are rarely given the time to retrieve their belongings from their home. In 2003 General Director of the Ministry of Interior, Mr. Mordecai Mordecai provided the following details concerning the policy of house demolitions. In 2002, out of an estimated number of 30,000 illegal structures (with a further 1,500 houses being built annually), 113 houses were demolished and another 323 legal suits were served to owners of illegal houses. In addition, 45 demolition orders without criminal process were served. In 2003, 157 houses were demolished in the unrecognized villages in the Negev. In 2004, by the end of June, 67 houses were demolished. However, since 2005, the number of house demolitions each year has been escalating and in 2009, a total of 254 homes were destroyed. In February this year, the situation become even more dire with the Ministry of Interior, the Israel Lands Administration and the southern district of the Israel Police jointly resolving to triple the rate of house demolitions in unrecognized villages.  Thus, in 2010 an expected 700 homes will be destroyed. It seems that the Israeli government is intent on executing its unwritten policy of wiping from the face of the earth all the Bedouin villages in the Negev. House Demolition and Corps Spraying Dairy 2010 January 6th – Khirbat Al-Batal, South of Rahat, Abu-Hazhaya 5 brick houses were demolished, 40 people were left with no roof to their heads, among them a widow with 8 children and a couple that planned to marry. January 6th - Al-Arakib, west of road 40 near Goral junction, 3 tents was dismantled and confiscated. January 6th - Al-Arakib, Nuri El-Ukbi's tent ropes were cut by the Jewish National Fund (JNF) workers. January 14th - Al-Arakib, Nuri El-Ukbi's tent was confiscated. January 17th - Al-Arakib, Nuri El-Ukbi's tent was confiscated. January 21st – Khirbat Zubala, near the western entrance to the city of Rahat, a brick house of 150 square meters, that belonged to an El-Huzaiel couple that just got married was demolished. January 21st - Twail Abu Jarwal, north-east of Goral junction on road 40, huts and tents in the village were demolished and buried under dirt. This is the twenty seventh time of demolitions in the village. January 21st -  Al-Araqib - Soltan Abu-Mderem and his familiy 2 tents were demolished. January 27th - Al-Arakib, Nuri El-Ukbi's tent was confiscated by the Jewish National Fund (JNF) workers. February 2nd - Qatamat, East of road 80, two tin shacks was demolished. February 2nd – Al-Mazraa, East Arara on road 80, and south and south west of Arara 1,000 Dunams of wheat sprouts were plowed and destroyed by the Israeli Land Administration. February 10th – Al-Araqib, 3,000 Dunams of wheat and barley sprouts were plowed and destroyed by the Israeli Land Administration. February 16th – Laquia, Khirbat Al-Wattan, Saawa fields of wheat sprouts were plowed and destroyed by the Israeli Land Administration. February 23rd – Bir Al-Hamam, 600 dunams of wheat sprouts that belonged to Abu-Zqiqa and 140 dunams that belonged to Abu-Assa families were plowed and destroyed by the Israeli Land Administration. March 11th – Al-Arakib, Salim Abu-Mdirems’ two huts were demolished. March – Wadi Al-Na’am, East of road 40, near Ramt-Hovav industrial zone, more than 200 house demolition orders were issued to the Al-Gargawi ans Zanon Families who live near the power-station. April 13th - Twail Abu Jarwal, north-east of Goral junction on road 40, 4 huts and 6 tents in the village were demolished and all other belongings buried under dirt. This is the twenty eight time of demolitions of the village. April 13th – Al-Arakib, Salim Abu-Mdirems’ two huts were demolished. April 13th – Al-Arakib, dozens of orders to evacuate the village until May 10th were issued to Al-Turi families. April 13th – Al-Zaiadnah, North of Rahat, dozens of demolition orders were issued to Al-Zaiadnah families. April 21st – Shoket Junction (crossroads 60 and 31), a youth club that belonged to the Bedouin officers organization was demolished. April 26th – Al Forah, near Tel Arad, a house of the Dahabshe family was demolished. April 26th - Twail Abu Jarwal, north-east of Goral junction on road 40, huts and tents in the village were demolished and buried under dirt. This is the twenty ninth time of demolitions of the village. May 3rd - Twail Abu Jarwal, north-east of Goral junction on road 40, huts in the village were demolished and buried under dirt. This is the thirtieth time of demolitions of the village. May 3rd – Al-Arakib, 2 demonstration tents that were build three weeks ago, since the JNF post a station for the heavy equipment closer to the village. Police representatives promised that an approval to rebuild the tents will be given after dismantling the tents. This approval was not given since and the Popular Committee of the village is preparing a petition to the Supreme Court. May 3rd - Al-Arakib, Salim Abu-Mdirems’ two huts were demolished for the sixth time. May 3rd – Al-Khomra, North of Quseifa, house of a couple that planned to be married was demolished. May 3rd – Al-Grian, near Shoket junction, an agricultural warehouse was demolished. May 20th - Al-Arakib, Salim Abu-Mdirems’ two huts were demolished for the seventh time. May 20th – Khirbat Hura, A house of a couple that planed to get married was demolished. May 20th - Twail Abu Jarwal, north-east of Goral junction on road 40, forces came to the village to demolish the tents but the villagers dismantle them before the forces arrived. May 26th – Al- Shabeh, south og road 25 Be’er-Sheva – Dimona, one house was demolished. May 26th – Al-Forah, south of Arad, one house was demolished. June 16th – Al Jurf – east to the road that connect rote 31 with Nevatim Air-Base and near the base’ one house was demolished. June 16th – Al-Arakib, Salim Abu-Mdirems’ two huts were demolished for the seventh time. June 16th - Twail Abu Jarwal, north-east of Goral junction on road 40, forces came to the village to demolish for the 47th time. June 28th – Rachama, south of road 204 Yeruham – Dimona, one house was demolished. July 5th – Abde, west of road 40 near Avdat, 5 demolition warnings were issued to houses. July 8th - Al-Arakib, Salim Abu-Mdirems’ two huts were demolished for the thirtieth time, the area was deeply dogged bu two bulldozers and all belongings including rugs and kitchen supplies were buried. July 8th - Twail Abu Jarwal, north-east of Goral junction on road 40, forces came to the village to demolish for the forty eight time. July 13th - Rachama, north of road 204 Yeruham – Dimona, two houses that belonged to young man that planed to get marry were demolished. July 13th – Tel-Arad, on road 80, north to the archeological site one house was demolished. July 13th – Um-Ratam, east of road 25 Be’er-Sheva – Dimona, one house was demolished. July 27 - Al Arakib, west of route 40, between Lehavim junction and Goral Junction – demolition of all 30 homes of the village including coops, pens, dovecots and uprooting of hundreds of trees. Hundreds of people, including women and children, were left with no roof over their heads. August 3 - Bir Al Mahash, north east of route 25 – demolition of a house. 6 people left with no roof over their head. August 3 - Kasser Al Sir - south west of route 25, Beer Sheva-Dimona – A house demolished. The family (woman and 3 children) were taken out of the house forcibly and the woman was beaten while the head of the family who is disabled was thrown out of the window. August 3 – Jerba, east of Dimona, north of route 25 Beet Sheva-Dimona – demolition of a house and shed of a young couple who just got married. August 3 - Al Shahabi – south of route 25 Beer Sheva-Dimona – demolition of a house, 5 people left with no roof over their heads. August 4 - Al Arakib – all the sheds and tents that were built by the people of the village were demolished again. Hundreds of people left with no roof over their heads. for house demolitions archive click here

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_PUBLISHEDON: 2004-02-16 (4077 _READS)