Israel demolishes Bedouin villages in Negev

Israeli bulldozers, escorted by Israeli police, demolished Palestinian-owned properties in several Bedouin villages in the Negev in southern Israel yesterday, local sources said.

The sources told Ma’an that Israeli bulldozers demolished residential buildings located near Al-Salam Street near the Arara district in the Negev.

A car wash station owned by Arab Al-Frejat was also demolished in the Beer Al-Mashash village, while Israeli forces raided the village of Um-Batin and demolished a barn.

Bedouin member of the Israeli Knesset, Talab Abu Arar denounced the demolitions. “Israel’s demolition campaigns are conducted for political and demographic reasons rather than legal as Israeli authorities claim.” He said the owners received no warnings prior to the demolitions, adding that this was part of Israel’s attempts to push Palestinians out of the Negev and force them to leave their lands.

Approximately 160,000 Bedouins live in villages not recognised by the state of Israel in the Negev alone, according to the Association for Civil Rights in Israel (ACRI), where they are denied basic services and infrastructure.