Negev Coexistence Forum for Civil Equality
פורום דו-קיום בנגב לשוויון אזרחי
منتدى التعايش السلمي في النقب من أجل المساواة المدنية

Dear friends and colleagues,

It is with great pleasure and pride that we congratulate our amazing film directors, producers, and team members for winning the first prize for the short film ‘Umm al-Ḥīrān’, at the short film competition of the Solidarity Festival that took place in the Cinemateque in Tel Aviv last week. We are proud of our filmmakers, their hard work, and their ability to tell the story of their rightful struggle. We also wish to express our great appreciation for the constant support, of the Swiss Federal Department Of Foreign Affairs and the Rosa-Luxemburg-Stiftung.

Yours sincerely,

Haia Noach
Executive Director
Negev Coexistence Forum

Jury’s verdict:
“Sensitive and powerful documentation, which deals, among other things, with memory and its erasure. The filmmakers immortalize their home and the process of its destruction, and the longing for a home while it is being crushed. In the act of documenting, the creator presents the story of the Bedouin society, together with their stories, of their home, and their children. In a rare and unique way, the film manages to combine images of pain and destruction, with a poetic language that is full of beauty and even inspires hope”.

On the occasion of International Day of Human Rights, NCF has chosen to publish a report focused on the violation of the Human Rights of the Bedouin community in the Negev/Naqab. This report exposes the continued neglect of the State of Israel, through home demolitions, development-induced displacement, excessive use of violence by the Police, and massive arrests. On the occasion of the International Day of Human Rights, the Government of Israel and the various State authorities should reexamine their treatment of the Negev/Naqab Bedouin people. There is no doubt that ensuring the rights of all residents of the region, the provision of services, as well as the promotion of development that focuses on those most in need, will reduce the profound inequality between the Bedouin and the Jewish communities and contribute to a viable, equal and sustainable Negev/Naqab for all of its residents.