Campaign stepped up against Israel’s planned demolition of Bedouin village

A meeting was held Sunday by opponents of the Israeli government’s plan to demolish a Bedouin village and build a Jewish town in its place.

According to Ha’aretz, participants included Members of Knesset from the Joint List and representatives of the unrecognized villages, and the group decided “to wage a public and legal battle against the demolition.”

Planned steps including setting up a protest tent in the village, holding a large demonstration in Be’er Sheva, blocking roads, a hunger strike by Knesset members, and possibly asking the High Court to reconsider the case.

MK Ayman Odeh said the “prevailing feeling is that our backs are already to the wall.”

We can’t allow such a decision to be implemented. We’re ready to fight with all the means at our disposal; we can’t remain silent in the face of the injustice that is about to occur. A person can’t stand aside and watch Arab residents be uprooted from their homes in order to build a new community for Jews only.

MK Ahmed Tibi described the planned destruction as “a declaration of war” against the “Arab public” which “mandates a chain reaction in Israel and abroad to prevent the community’s eviction.” MK Talab Abu Arar warned that “the government will bear responsibility for any deterioration in the situation.”

Meanwhile, legal advocacy group Adalah has launched a public campaign called “#Save_UmAlHiran“, “to raise awareness of the village’s struggle and demand the cancellation of the demolition and eviction orders against the residents.”