Applying the “F Word” To How Bedouins Are Treated In Israel* by Al'Lat 1:41am Thu Jul 17 '03 *Unfortunately the word "fairly" is non~applicable under these conditions: Your homes are not recognized. Your rights are not recognized. Your fields are sprayed with chemicals while you are standing in them. print article Press Release: from Maha Qupty and The Regional Council for the Unrecognized Villages of the Palestinian Bedouin in the Negev- Israel MORE HOMES DEMOLISHED IN THE NEGEV: July 15 2003 Police Forces, the Green Patrol and Border Police units, accompanied by the National Unit of Building Observation, demolished houses and shops in several unrecognized villages today, July 15th 2003. The destruction started in the village of al-Sa'dia, where three homes of the Abu Skout family were demolished in addition to 256 sq of construction. Later the demolition forces moved to the village of al-Bohara where they destroyed two shops on the al-Salam (trans: “peace”) street. They subsequently moved to the village of al-Za'rora to demolish another shop, but were prevented from doing do when the owner was able to s how them a court order. On July 14th hundred of children had demonstrated in fron of the Interior Ministry offices in Beersheva, shouting "stop demolishing our homes". The demonstration was in response to the home destruction orders which were given to 150 families on 1st July 2003. See RCUV press release from July 4th. The mass house destruction which these orders propose will leave hundreds of children, women and elderly people without any housing alternative. Since January 2003 the following destructions have taken place: o 18 houses were destroyed and the families left without any housing alternatives. o 7 Shops (Groceries) o 1 Water Tank o 2 incidents of crop poisoning 150 WARNING NOTICES DELIVERED: Press Release July 4, 2003 On the 1st of July 2003, the National Unit of Building Observation delivered 150 warning notices to the home of Bedouin citizens living in three unrecognised villages in the Negev. These warning notices stated that the citizens are living in illegal buildings built on land owned by the state. This is the first time that the state has accused its citizens in the Negev of living on land that does not belong to them. Usually, the accusation has been of unlicensed building. The Regional Council for the Unrecognised Villages in the Negev sees this step as part of the process started by the “Sharon Plan”, and further evidence that this plan is “a declaration of war against the unrecognised villages”. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 1. There are 45 Unrecognized Villages with 74,000 inhabitants. They are referred to by the Israeli Government as “scattered settlements” or “populations” 1. There are 45 Unrecognized Villages with 74,000 inhabitants. They are referred to by the Israeli Government as “scattered settlements” or “populations” 2. Sharon's 6-years Development Plan main Points: 1 Establishing a special police station and forces to implement the Plan. 2 Empowering the Green Patrol (Black Patrol) by allocating more funding and personnel for land confiscation, and registration of the land as Governmental Land. 3. Justus Ministry, Land Authority, and The Bedouin Authority (the Civil Administration according to the community) will work together in identifying land ownership by appealing and claiming for governmental property. The landowner has to prove that the land his/her land[3]. 4. Any money or land compensation will be according to the Israeli Law, Governmental decisions, and Land Authority. 5. Jewish Regional Council of Ramat Hovav and Bani Shimoun will give individuals farms, which would include areas not in their municipal authorizations, and where the unrecognized villages currently lay. 6. Israeli Government will implement their decision from 4/8/2002 which covers implementing the Planning and Building Law. (All Unrecognized Villages are not covered in the Planning Law, accordingly all houses are illegal even though these historical villages were established before the state of Israel and planning Law). Implementing this decision will m ean mass house destruction and uprooting the 70,000 inhabitants without any housing alternatives. 7. 325 million dollars will be allocated for land compensations through the Land Authority. 8. Local Municipalities will be established for those recognized villages. Resident’s addresses will be registered[3] according to those recognized villages and towns (7 Townships). Plan which suggest uprooting the remaining villages and concentrate them into Meriet Township. The Regional Council for the Unrecognized Villages of the Palestinian Bedouin in the Negev- Israel Community Representative Organization and a Non-Governmental Institution For more information, please contact: Maha Qupty Email: [email protected] Mobile Phone: + 972 55 348 666 www.arabhra.org/rcuv/index.htm www.arabhra.org/rcuv/index.htm add your comments Source file