Alarming, devastating news that the battle of the Al Araqib Bedouin to remain on their village lands has taken an ominous turn. This from Israeli peace activist, Michael Warshavsky:
Shooting and heavy violence in Al-Arakib: The people of Al-Arakib encircled in the cemetery
The 17th violent eviction of Al-Arakib is now under way.
Special squads unit used heavy violence to force people into the cemetry area. Several people have been wounded; one of them, a child, was taken to hospital, others would not leave the place, fearing they may never return.
The special units shoot into the cemetry area, sowing fear and seeking to provoke people to retaliate, an excuse to break in. Meanwhile, bulldozers are obstructing the exit from the cemtery in the direction of the village.
We have no images from Al-Arakib at the moment, but please spread the word, protest and circulate the video of the previous eviction
And this is from Yaaela Raanan of the Negev Bedouin support group:
It seemed that there were “red lines” even for the police brutality against the Bedouins of the Israeli Negev – while destroying homes that had no possibility for acquiring building permits, arresting people on their village lands in order to make room for JNF trees, beating activists who dared request to see the official papers allowing the brutality – all seemed to be “ok”. but until today – even for the police – the cemetery and the people waiting in the cemetery for the police to leave – were off limits. no more.
After destroying the tents of the village – yet again, the JNF (yes!) bulldozer approached the gate of the cemetery attempting to run it down and destroy it. this was too much for the village people, who are sitting in their community’s cemetery, watching as their village is once more destroyed. As the bulldozer approached the gate, the people went to stop it with their bare hands. Several are injured, including children. They are being evacuated at this moment by ambulances.
The bulldozer has backed away from the gate, and the police and bulldozers are now a few yards away from the cemetery, re-thinking their next move.
Do all you can to stop this horrible escalation of the treatment of the Arab citizens of Israel!!!
How can the Jewish National Fund collaborate in such a pogrom? Yes, what else can you call it? Organized state violence against a helpless minority. Do we not remember how it felt to be treated this way ourselves?
How can JNF’s donors here in the U.S. and elsewhere in the Jewish Diapsora not blanch in shame? This must end. Otherwise, we must do all we can to inform JNF’s donors of what is done in their name to indigenous inhabitants and citizens of the State of Israel.
It is time to run a campaign doing away with the JNF. People should be made aware of what it does and why, and should be encouraged to divest–that is to say, to never give another penny to this fund.
Oh yeah! Bulldoze those illegal homes!
You’ve just earned yrself moderation for being a boorish insufferable twit. And let’s also add that you’re & outstanding representative of the most moral army in the world, where you claim to be a major.
Seems they are now shooting towards people hiding in a mosque. Not even bothering with “rubber” bullets.
I feel we are a moment away from mass graves…
Pics or didn’t happen. And it most likely didn’t happen. Or at least not in the monochromatic way you’re describing it.
There are videos available which I’ve shared in my Facebook acct. Incl available at Ynet online. Tell me the video of the helpless supine villager trampled underfoot by Border police as if he were a piece of garbage “didn’t happen.”
Yes. It’s some sort of clarifying moment. Jvp is planning something big I understand. We don’t have much time I’M Afraid before there’s another Rachel Corrie moment.
The landscape and numerous details differ vastly, but still I find it difficult not to think of Wounded Knee and other disgusting and deliberate injustices committed by a so-called democratic society to steal land and cleanse it of its unwanted people.
just curious,
as the state of israel never recognized the legality of this village, what is the difference between this and what the city of los angeles did to the village what once sat on the land that dodger stadium now inhabits?
Here’s the difference: Chavez Ravine was a single Mexican-American village that was displaced (& such displacement could never happen today). And under American law anyone displaced in such a way is entitled to compensation for their property (though I don’t know for a fact that this happened to Chavez Ravine’s residents). Israel is attempting to displace almost the entire Bedouin population in the Negev fr. their native lands. It is attempting to repopulate the Negev with Jewish settlements that would replace the Bedouin villages & Judaize the Negev. What does Israel pay the Bedouins for their displacement? Blows, tear gas, bullets & bulldozers?
Next question…
I would like to point out that settling, building, and farming on land you do not own is illegal pretty much everywhere in the world, United States included. Bedouins in Israel have a right to buy land just like any other Israeli citizen. To me, it seems like the residents of Al-Araqeeb keep settling the area more for political reasons, and not for practical purposes.
Please. The Negev is a desert, has been for centuries, perhaps millenia. Bedouins are a nomadic people. They don’t traditionally OWN land. But in this case they DO have deeds to this land and the State expelled them from the land in 1950. It had no right to do so & the owners never gave up their claim to the land. They don’t have to buy land they already own.
I’ll admit, I have been trying to find a non-biased source about the Negev settlement, but without much luck. The closest thing I’ve found are the towns Facebook page and Wikipedia page (which are pretty much identical to each other). Both mention that the town was abandoned in 1950. The land was then taken over by the Israeli government, likely because they would have no way of knowing if there were any former inhabitants (assuming the village was indeed abandoned).
But heres the part I really don’t understand. The Bedouin inhabitants claim that they payed taxes to both the Ottomans and the British. As both government kept good records, it would seem as if this claim would be rather easy to check.
If they are indeed telling the truth, then I believe the Israeli government should work with the villagers to figure something out. If they are just people attempting to take advantage of a major conflict and politically advance their cause, then I have no sympathy for them.
Not “abandoned.” Expelled. The government expelled them. You don’t know what you’re talking about.
It is certainly possible that they were expelled in the midst of the war. Its also quite possible that they choose to abandon the land on their own freewill. Until I see explicit proof of one of the other, I will retain the position that both are possible situations.
But that wasn’t my point. If the land was truly their and it was taken from them, then a compromise should be made. But let me ask you something Richard. How do you know that these aren’t just a group of people hoping take advantage of the conflict? How do you know they’re telling the truth and aren’t trying to cheat the system?
No, again. They were expelled in 1950. No war. They didn’t abandon the land so stop making a claim that isn’t true & that you can’t validate w. credible evidence. They have the deeds. Everyone who know about the Bedouin history in the Negev knows they were expelled. There are multiple sources which authenticate this. There are many NGOs which offer websites which authenticate this. You are ignorant. Just because you’re too lazy or ignorant of research methods which would offer you the answer, doesn’t mean I’m going to keep going around and around on this.
What compromise do you propose other than that all Bedouin be returned to their ancestral land. That’s the only fair, just solution. Bedouins aren’t cheating anyone. It is Israel that is cheating them and has cheated them since it forced them off the land.
We’re done on this subject & you’re done repeating yrself in this thread. Move on, comment in another thread. But don’t post again here in this one.