Israel razes Bedouin Palestinian village for 233rd time

Israeli occupation authorities this morning demolished all the tents and structures in the Palestinian Bedouin village of Araqeeb in the Negev desert for the 233rd time, displacing its residents, the Palestinian Information Centre reported.

According to local sources, Israeli police forces and employees from the Authority for Development and Settlement of the Bedouin in the Negev — which is responsible for such demolitions — stormed the village and levelled everything.

Israel Police also kidnapped Sheikh Sayyah At-Tawri, chief of the village, and his son Aziz.

As a result of the occupation’s actions, dozens of Bedouin, including children, have become homeless once again during the harsh winter months.

An estimated 80,000 Bedouin Palestinians, who carry Israeli citizenship, live in several Negev communities, which are often denied vital services, including water, electricity and educational facilities.

The demolition of Al-Araqeeb and other villages in the Negev is believed to be a systematic Israeli policy aimed at expelling the native population and transferring them to government-zoned areas to pave the way for the expansion of Jewish-only communities.

READ: Israel demolishes Bedouin village for 230th time