UK ‘concerned’ about Israeli plan to demolish Bedouin village

The UK Minister for the Middle East, Tobias Ellwood, has informed Israeli authorities of the British government’s concern about plans to demolish a Bedouin village in the Negev.

In a statement released by the Foreign and Commonwealth Office, Ellwood says that he “raised with the Israeli Ambassador the concerns expressed in the House of Commons about plans to demolish the Bedouin village of Umm Al-Hiran in the Negev.”

Ellwood noted that “demolition orders delivered to residents had stated that initial demolitions would occur on 22 November,” and that “although the demolition did not happen” on Tuesday, “the threat remains.”

According to the statement, the British government “calls on the Israeli authorities and Bedouin community to work together to find a solution that meets the needs and respects the rights of the people affected. This should include a robust planning process that adequately consults and addresses the needs of Israel’s Bedouin communities.”