Israel demolished 1,158 Israeli Arab houses in the last year

Israeli authorities have demolished 1,158 homes belonging to Israeli Arabs in the Negev between August 2016 and August 2017, Arab48 reported yesterday.

A report issued by Coexistence Club in the Negev and reported by Arab48 stated that the Israeli policy of home demolition is used as a tool to harass Bedouins in the Negev.

According to the report several homes were demolished by their owners after they had been threatened to pay high fines.

It mentioned the village of Al-Araqeeb as an example, stating that the villagers paid 262,000 shekels ($73,481) as expenses for the state equipment to demolish the village and 100,000 shekels ($28,047) for the expenses of the state’s lawyer.

Read: For Israel displacing Bedouins is financially rewarding

The report pointed out the relationship and cooperation between the state’s bodies, including the police and judiciary, as they take and carry out “revengeful” measures against the Arabs.

Researcher Bayn Fargoun, who participated in preparing the report, told Arab48 that the “escalation in home demolition and land confiscation in the last year is worrying”.

He accused the Israeli authorities of using force instead of seeking a joint solution. “We call on all sides to support [actions] against racism and apartheid against the residents of Negev,” he said.