Israel razes Bedouin village for 70th time

Israeli bulldozers backed by a military helicopter on Thursday demolished the Bedouin village of Al-Araqeeb in the Negev Desert for the 70th time on the pretext that it had been built illegally, according to a spokesman for village residents.

Thursday’s demolition came despite an Israeli court decision issued one week ago banning the practice, according to Awad Abu Freih.

“Israeli military forces stormed the village and levelled 50 homes made of tin, as well as a mosque and an education center,” Abu Frieh told Anadolu Agency.

He said village residents were insistent on spending the night in the village – out in the open – despite the latest demolition.

Israeli officials could not be reached for comment on the issue.

Around 150 Palestinians, all of whom bear Israeli citizenship, live in Al-Araqeeb. They say that they have owned the land since before Israel came into being in 1948.

More than 220,000 Palestinians live in the Negev Desert in southern Israel. Half of them live in villages and population centers that have existed for centuries, according to Israeli statistics.