Latest news with #Bedouin
Days of Palestine
12 hours ago
- Business
- Days of Palestine
Israel Expands Settlement Projects, Advances Judaization in the West Bank
DaysofPal – The extremist Israeli government, led by Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, is accelerating efforts to seize large areas of the occupied West Bank through an aggressive expansion of settlement projects. This move comes amid its ongoing genocidal war on the Gaza Strip and is enabled by widespread international and regional silence regarding Israel's violations in both Gaza and the West Bank. Netanyahu's coalition is pushing forward pre-planned settlement schemes aimed at fragmenting Palestinian territory and entrenching permanent Israeli control. On Sunday, the Israeli government approved the establishment of 22 new settlements across the West Bank, as part of a joint initiative by Defense Minister Yoav Gallant and Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich. According to The Jerusalem Post, this plan revives settlement activity in areas such as Homesh and Sanur in the northern West Bank and includes the development of residential clusters along the Jordan Valley. A map released by Netanyahu's Likud Party illustrates a strategic spread of settlements from the northern to southern West Bank, further undermining the contiguity of Palestinian land. A Surge in Settlement Expansion Suhail Khalilieh, Director of the Settlement Monitoring Unit at the Applied Research Institute – Jerusalem (ARIJ), stated that the Israeli government has approved plans for over 35,000 settlement units across various parts of the West Bank. Khalilieh noted that the pace of approvals has significantly accelerated since bureaucratic checks were removed. Previously, settlement plans had to go through 17 procedural stages, often taking years to approve. However, since Finance Minister Smotrich took control of the Civil Administration—a key authority managing the West Bank—approvals now take only two to three stages, allowing for near-instant implementation. Smotrich, whose position also gives him budgetary authority over settlement projects, has used this dual role to both fund and fast-track illegal construction. Khalilieh noted that settlers currently control about 10% of the West Bank, with around 40% falling under the jurisdiction of various Settlement Councils. Legalizing Illegal Outposts Raed Muqadi, a West Bank settlement affairs expert, echoed these concerns, stating that the new plan is primarily aimed at legalizing unauthorized outposts—effectively granting them legal status. Once legalized, these outposts become eligible for public services, infrastructure funding, and local administrative councils. Muqadi warned that the move paves the way for the seizure of hundreds of dunams of land, particularly in the Jordan Valley and areas surrounding Jerusalem. He also confirmed that settlement activity has doubled since October 7, 2023—marking a 100% increase compared to the past five years. During this period, more than 100 new outposts have been established, thousands of dunams of agricultural land have been closed off, and Bedouin communities have faced forced displacement, often under the pretext of security concerns. 'The occupation aims to consolidate control over the West Bank as part of a long-term plan for annexation,' Muqadi emphasized. He called for international support to strengthen Palestinian resilience against what he described as a 'fierce and calculated assault.' A Strategic Shift Disguised as Development Israeli officials claim that the expansion reflects their commitment to 'security and sustainable development,' with Smotrich describing the decision as a 'strategic transformation of vital areas.' However, critics argue that the project amounts to de facto annexation and a continuation of Israel's decades-long effort to impose unilateral realities on the ground. Since the onset of the war on Gaza in October 2023, the Israeli government has ramped up demolitions, displacement, and settlement activity in the West Bank in what many experts now describe as a coordinated campaign of land theft and ethnic cleansing. Shortlink for this post:
Yahoo
2 days ago
- Business
- Yahoo
New gov't plan for Bedouin settlements sparks controversy, fear of demolitions
Government officials claim that a mix of innovative approaches and incentives can solve the long-standing issue of unrecognized communities in the Negev. Approximately 300,000 Bedouins currently live in the Negev region, with around 90,000 residing in what is termed "Pzurah" - unregulated and unrecognized settlements outside recognized state-sanctioned municipal lines. This situation creates complex planning and social challenges that require comprehensive solutions. One of the primary obstacles to regional development in the Negev is the issue of land ownership claims. In the 1970s, Israeli authorities decided to survey Bedouin land ownership claims throughout the Negev, without officially granting a legal status to these claims. Various government committees concluded that some form of legal arrangement must be found to address these ownership issues if the Pzurah issue is to be resolved. The challenge is clear: it is impossible to establish regulated communities within someone else's ownership claims under current Bedouin-related legislation, and cultural codes also play an immense role in this complex situation. This legal impasse has prevented meaningful development and created a cycle where existing recognized settlements remain largely empty despite having designated areas for thousands of residents, while dozens of thousands reside outside municipal lines. Several established Bedouin communities exist in the Negev, including Rahat, Laqiya, Kasaife, Segev Shalom, and others. However, many of these communities are significantly underpopulated relative to their planned capacity. For example, some settlements designed to accommodate populations similar to major cities like Kfar Saba have only a few thousand residents. This underutilization occurs because the settlements were established without resolving the underlying land ownership disputes. Most of these areas lack basic infrastructure development, as the state cannot justify investing billions in sewage systems, roads, and utilities when settlements remain empty and uncertain due to unresolved land disputes. The last major attempt to comprehensively address this issue was the Prawer-Begin Plan in 2013. The traditional approach has been to offer compensation packages, providing Bedouin claimants with partial land allocation and monetary compensation and bringing them to relinquish broader territorial claims. However, this compensation-based doctrine has not proven successful, as Bedouins can still theoretically reach settlements under current arrangements, yet few do so in practice. The current government plan takes a different strategic approach. Rather than focusing solely on compensation, it recognizes that the existing unrecognized settlements are simply not viable for development in their current state. The plan proposes updating the legal tools available to reach agreements with Bedouin claimants. The strategy involves a clear timeline: offering generous settlement terms that go beyond strict legal requirements, but with definitive deadlines. If agreements are not reached within this deadline, the state will proceed to redraw the municipal lines of recognized settlements, leaving unsettled claims outside the new town borders (dubbed 'blue lines'), and leading claimants who refuse to reach a settlement to lose valuable and potentially developable land. The plan acknowledges that even without 100% agreement rates, it can still design viable, developable communities. The approach is being implemented gradually, starting with pilot programs to understand what works effectively before broader implementation. Government officials believe this approach, which has been discussed with local representation as well as government authorities, offers a more realistic and feasible path forward than previous attempts. By combining generous settlement offers with clear deadlines and practical development timelines, the plan aims to break the decades-long impasse that has prevented both proper Bedouin community development and broader regional planning in the Negev. The success of this initiative will depend on effective communication with affected communities and the willingness of stakeholders to engage with the new framework within the proposed timelines. However, as is always the case with these complex issues, which involve a mix of politics, identity, and land, not everyone is celebrating this government decision. AJEEC-NISPED, also known as the Negev Institute for Strategies of Peace and Development, an Israeli NGO that focuses on Jewish-Bedouin collaboration and coexistence in the Negev, told The Jerusalem Post that the resolution is not feasible. The decision 'comes at one of the most critical moments of crisis for Bedouin society,' the NGO said, reminding that, onOctober 7, dozens of Bedouins in the Negev were murdered or kidnapped, and more than ten children were killed by direct rocket fire from Gaza. 'The economic crisis that Bedouin society has faced since the outbreak of war is unprecedented—employment in agriculture, hospitality, and construction halted overnight, striking a severe blow to the poorest population in Israel.' In AJEEC-NISPED's view, the government resolution meets Bedouin society at a moment when it needs assistance and support in employment and education, rather than a 'confrontation marked by a wave of home demolitions and evictions.' The Negev-based NGO explained that leaving communities outside the blue lines mean, effectively, putting all homes that have been built there at risk of demolition; also warning that the long-term consequence would be a deepening of the gaps between Jews and Bedouins in the Negev. 'Already today, rates of academic education and quality employment in the Bedouin community are the lowest in the country. According to the latest Finance Ministry report, released just weeks ago, the only population group in Israel that has seen a decline in youth employment rates is the Bedouin community in the Negev. These young people, already facing tremendous barriers to normative behavior, may become easy prey for criminal organizations and the cycle of violence.' AJEEC-NISPED stressed the demolitions do not affect only the Bedouin community. Rather, 'they have a compounding effect of exclusion, detachment, and hopelessness with negative consequences for Israeli society as a whole. The lack of trust between the state and the Bedouin population is a core issue, especially at this time.' The Israeli NGO continued: 'As an Arab-Jewish community organization based in the Negev, working to reduce socio-economic disparities in Bedouin society and promote Arab-Jewish partnership, we acutely feel the significance of this mistrust. Above all, home demolitions are a state of emergency. Just as we mobilized during previous emergencies like the war and the COVID pandemic, we will now act during the demolitions. Families in need of food aid, families without shelter, children requiring psychological support, and the need to stabilize the situation on the ground—these are just some of the tasks that our volunteers and staff at AJEEC are taking on to support those affected in this crisis.' AJEEC-NISPED stressed: 'The path forward is one of dialogue, open communication, and transparency. In a Negev where dozens of individual farms, settlements, moshavim, and new communities have been established since the founding of the state, only seven towns have been established for the Bedouin. The Bedouin citizens of Israel deserve equal treatment, just like Jewish citizens in the Negev. This is not a theoretical discussion. In Bir Hadaj, for example, a Bedouin locality with over 10,000 residents, only eight building permits have been issued in recent years. Without the promotion of sustainable planning solutions and without open, transparent dialogue with Bedouin society, we will not be able to resolve this decades-long conflict between the state and the Bedouin community, or build a shared and thriving society in the Negev.' Yuval Turjeman, head of the Authority for Development and Settlement of the Bedouin in the Negev, is not shaken by criticism. 'Our new comprehensive approach offers a feasible way to reach agreements with title claimants, who do not hold any legal or formal ownership of land, as a means to allow full development of infrastructure and legal housing and receive financial compensation,' he explained. 'The fixed time window with both positive and negative incentives is in stark contrast to past attempts, where nothing really moved in any direction. The current completely deadlocked situation represents the worst possible scenario, making any change potentially beneficial.' Turjeman explained that, rather than starting with easier cases, the Authority deliberately chose to begin with the most challenging ones, namely, communities with the most contentious land claims. This counterintuitive approach stems from the belief that only dramatic action can break the current impasse. 'The implementation recognizes complex social codes within Bedouin society that cannot be crossed,' Turjeman explained. 'A fundamental paradox exists where 20% of the population claims land ownership, meaning that tens of thousands of families are left with no legal housing solutions, meaning living under constant threat of home demolitions. Those who claim ownership often view land not through Western property concepts but through traditional social frameworks involving family and tribal considerations, including traditional perceptions of class when it comes to land ownership.' Also on the issue of cultural codes, the Israeli official explained that Bedouins may speak of "donating their land" for schools, kindergartens, or roads. 'This becomes both a family and tribal business, creating intricate social dynamics that any solution must navigate carefully.' Turjeman continued: 'The new approach aims to move land claimants out of their comfort zones by offering substantial economic opportunities alongside relatively decisive action. Success in Rahat demonstrates this model's potential - land was released by claimants who then realized significant profits through commercial, industrial, or residential development.' The strategy recognizes that some individuals may initially have no incentive to reach settlements. 'But once they understand that areas outside the official 'blue line' cannot be developed, this may encourage greater cooperation,' Turjeman added. Five pilot areas were selected based on having the highest land-to-population ratios: three rural settlements (Molada, Abu Tlul, and Marzet) and two urban councils (Laqiya and Kasaife). Kasaife exemplifies the problem: 24,000 residents allocated across 14,000 dunams, but only 20% of the area is utilized, with the remainder consisting of fields with individual ownership claims in a community facing severe housing shortages. Since many land ownership claims don't withstand strict legal scrutiny, the state could theoretically pursue formal expropriation. However, Turjeman explained that this approach would be counterproductive. 'Instead, the Authority seeks consensual processes, even incorporating compensation mechanisms during expropriation phases for cooperative claimants,' he commented. As heated debates over the plan continue, what is clear is that this new comprehensive approach represents a fundamental shift from previous models in an attempt to acknowledge both legal realities and cultural sensitivities while creating clear timelines and economic incentives for resolution.
Al-Ahram Weekly
3 days ago
- Entertainment
- Al-Ahram Weekly
Sinai Bedouin women share their heritage stories in stop motion at British Council - Heritage special
Sinai Bedouin women showcased heritage stories during the Story Telling for All exhibition, held over the weekend at the British Council in Cairo. The exhibition showcases several stop-motion films that 27 young Bedouin women from Dahab and Saint Catherine created from scratch. Handmade maquettes, storyboards, and signature handmade embroidery adorned the exhibition hall. Jessica Jacobs, researcher and geographer at Queen Mary University in London, explained that the exhibition is the outcome of research on the use of handicrafts and filmmaking as a methodology for exploring heritage tourism, homemaking, and community engagement in the UK, Jordan, Syria, and Egypt, with a focus on Bedouin women. "I have been working in Sinai for almost 30 years, and this exhibition is a follow-up to a project we did in Wadi Faynan, Jordan, between 2019 and 2022," Jacobs told Ahram Online. The stop-motion films reflected the daily life of Bedouin women in Sinai and highlighted key events in their heritage. These films portrayed wedding rituals, the Bedouin coffee setup, women's life journeys, and fishing rituals. However, some young women artists highlighted in the maquettes how a woman named Om Saad was happily living alone in her own house – a bold statement against the prevailing culture. At the heart of the exhibition stood a huge traditional Bedouin dress, the front of which was hand-embroidered by Gemeaa, a very popular and skilled Indigenous Bedouin artist. Other Bedouin women made the back, which was designed as a geographic depiction of Sinai, mapping the locations of flora and fauna scattered around the region. The women of Fan Sina, a handicraft project and local partner, sew the dress. Fan Sina, which translates to the Art of Sinai, is a creative economy initiative that promotes Bedouin women's empowerment in Saint Catherine. "Through Fan Sina Company, I started with five women, and now we have grown into 450 women in 19 groups. We would drive into the mountains to collaborate with them," explained Salima El Gebaly, founder of Fan Sina, to Ahram Online. Born and raised in Saint Catherine, El Gebaly explained that she has always admired embroidery and finds her hometown deeply inspirational. "Saint Catherine is a beautiful town. When you go to the mountains, you feel there is life, as if the mountain is talking to you. You find almond and fig trees, and grapes growing from the heart of the mountain, which impacts the souls of the people living there, especially the women, and makes them natural artists. When they see the beauty around them, they transform it through thread and needle into handwoven patterns—on their dresses, the sugar sacks they keep for their husbands on the backs of camels, and the bags of shepherds. She draws nature from her perspective—you might find 200 or 300 different shapes of the almond tree. Due to modernity, people have stopped wearing these traditional garments. Hence, the idea of preserving such ancient heritage and using it to generate revenue for Sinai women emerged," she concluded. Follow us on: Facebook Instagram Whatsapp Short link:
Yahoo
3 days ago
- General
- Yahoo
Israeli settlers force about 150 Palestinians to leave their West Bank village
Violent Israeli settlers including two under UK sanctions have forced about 150 Palestinians to leave their village in the occupied West Bank, through a five-day intimidation campaign carried out under the watch of the Israeli police and army. On Sunday morning, settlers established an illegal outpost, consisting of a basic shelter and a sheep pen, 100 metres from a Palestinian home in Mughayyir al-Deir, east of Ramallah. By Friday, dozens of villagers had already moved their flocks away, packed up their belongings and were dismantling the wooden and metal frames of their houses. Settlers stalked between Palestinian men who worked fast and largely in silence, grappling with the grim reality of leaving the place where most were born and grew up. A child cried as he was driven away on a truck loaded with the family's red sofas. Related: Violent Israeli settlers under UK sanctions join illegal West Bank outpost 'We are all leaving,' said one villager, who asked not to be named. Settlers threw stones at some trucks as they left, and celebrated on social media. Elisha Yered, an unofficial spokesperson for the extremist group Hilltop Youth, wrote: 'This is what redemption looks like! This is a relatively large outpost that contained about 150 people from the enemy population, but it was broken.' Yered is subject to sanctions from the UK and the EU, which said he was 'part of a group of armed settlers' involved in an attack in 2023 that led to the death of a 19-year-old Palestinian, Qusai Jammal Mi'tan. Two other settlers under UK sanctions, Neria Ben Pazi and Zohar Sabah, spent time at the illegal outpost this week, and Ben Pazi also worked on building a fence around Palestinian land. Other Bedouin came to help villagers pack up and leave, including some who understood their fear and pain intimately because violent Israeli settlers had also driven them off the land. The tactics used by the settlers this week were not new. The nearby hills are dotted with the ruins of abandoned villages, at least one, Wadi as-Seeq, also targeted by the UK-sanctioned Ben Pazi. Settlers had never before built an outpost so close to Palestinian homes and the speed and intensity of the campaign in Mughayyir al-Deir was a sign of their growing confidence, activists said. Police patrolled through the village on Friday and Israeli soldiers stood nearby. None intervened, although a 'stop work' order had been issued for the illegal outpost after it was thrown up, and several settlers who spent time at it were also known to Israeli authorities for extreme violence. A previous Israeli commander for the central region, Maj Gen Yehuda Fuchs, tried in 2023 to bar Ben Pazi from the West Bank over violent attacks on Palestinians. The only other official Israeli visitor during the week was a far-right member of the Knesset, Zvi Sukkot, who came to back the settlers. Last week, Sukkot said in a TV debate that Israel 'can kill 100 Gazans in one night during a war and nobody in the world cares'. One Palestinian family filed a petition with Israel's supreme court on Thursday demanding an injunction and urgent hearing into why the military, police and local authorities did not act to prevent the forced evictions and protect Palestinians. A spokesperson for the Israeli military said troops operated 'to ensure the security of the state of Israel and Judea and Samaria [Israel's name for the occupied West Bank]', and the government directs how the military should enforce orders about illegal construction. The military would respond to the legal petition in court, the spokesperson said. A hearing is scheduled for next week, although by the time judges hear it the village will be empty. For many of the families forced out, their move on Friday was a second displacement at the hands of Israelis, as their parents and grandparents had been forced from land near the Israeli city of Be'er Sheva when the state was formed in 1948.
Saba Yemen
4 days ago
- Politics
- Saba Yemen
Zionist settlers besiege Auja Waterfall in attempt to isolate community
Areha - Saba: On Tuesday, Israeli settlers surrounded the Al-Auja Waterfall Bedouin community, north of Jericho, and grazing their sheep amidst the homes of residents. The Al-Baydar Organization for the Defense of Bedouin Rights said that groups of settlers surrounded the Al-Auja Waterfall community in an attempt to isolate it from its surroundings and separate residents from each other, in preparation for imposing complete control over the area, according to the Palestinian News Agency (SAFA). The organization noted that settlers are using various methods to pressure residents, including intimidation and daily harassment, with the aim of creating division and disintegration within the community. This threatens the social fabric and weakens the residents' ability to persevere and remain on their land. The organization emphasized that these practices represent a dangerous escalation in the policies of displacement and creeping annexation pursued by the Israeli occupation authorities, supported by settlers. The organization called on human rights and humanitarian organizations to take urgent action to stop these violations. Whatsapp Telegram Email Print more of (International)
