Israel Demolishes Unrecognized Bedouin Village for 178th Time
Beersheba, MINA – Israeli occupation authorities today demolished all shelters in the Palestinian Bedouin village of al-Araqib in the Naqab desert, south of Israel, for the 178th time since the year 2000 and for the seventh time this year, according to local sources.
Israeli police broke into the village and tore down the tents and the shanties used as shelters by the local Bedouin residents, leaving them, including children, homeless, WAFA reported.
The village was last leveled on August 27, and every time the residents rebuild their tents and the rudimentary shacks, Israeli police return to raze them.
Located in the Naqab desert, the village is one of 51 “unrecognized” Arab villages in the area and is constantly targeted for demolition. Israeli bulldozers, which Bedouins are charged for, have demolished everything, from the trees to the water tanks, but Bedouin residents have tried to rebuild it every time.
Although Bedouins in the Naqab, who hold the Israeli nationality, abide by the same laws and pay taxes as other Israeli citizens, they do not enjoy the same rights and services as Jews in Israel. In addition, the Israeli government has repeatedly refused to connect their towns to the national water and electricity networks in an effort to end their presence in that area of the country.(T/R3/RE1)
Mi’raj News Agency (MINA)
