Legal think tank demolishes six major myths about the Israeli Bedouin and land ownership in the Negev.
With ongoing talk of the resettlement of illegal Bedouin communities in the Southern Israeli Negev, Regavim, the legal research and advocacy organization focused on land ownership issues in Israel, has released an groundbreaking new white paper which invalidates widely-accepted claims by Bedouin tribes and NGOs on unregistered lands and villages in the northern Negev Desert.
While an alleged 60,000 Bedouin, or less than 25 percent of the Bedouin population live on 200,000 acres of the region, this white paper represents the first legitimate measure of historical land claim of the area and scope of the Bedouin population and activity in the Negev.
“For years, organizations with very clear political agendas have warped and falsified facts on the ground. Which have in-turn, been accepted as the truth by the general public and even elements in the Israeli government. This Regavim report demolishes the six major myths on Bedouins in the Negev” said Regavim Director Ari Briggs. “Regavim irrefutably dismisses and invalidates these old mantras, using concrete research and evidence that includes aerial photography, maps and historic documentation.”
The paper addresses 6 myths, which have been widely accepted as fact regarding the Bedouin communities in the Negev. Myths to be invalidated include whether the Bedouin are indigenous to the northern Negev; whether Bedouin villages constitute historical structures; the classification of a mere 45 unrecognized Bedouin villages, when the real figures is more than 200 times that; whether Bedouin tribes have been neglected by the State in terms of building rights; whether government budgets are discriminatory against Bedouin tribes; and the percent of Negev lands to which Bedouin tribes lay claim. The full white-paper is available to interested parties by request.
Regavim, a research think-tank and advocacy organization, is dedicated to ensuring responsible, legal and accountable use of Israel’s national land. By investigating building claims on the ground level, Regavim protects national land interests, presenting its findings in the form of white papers and legal action, in addition to briefing the press and diplomatic corps.
See the Regavim Video for addition information:
(YWN – Israel Desk, Jerusalem)
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One Response
Most Bedouin have been supporting the Israelis against the Palestinians, and it is unwise of Israel to alienate them. It isn’t like Israel has a shortage of enemies and needs to make new ones.
The nature of their land claims is apprently more of having a right to set up villages within a general area, which is a problem in many countries since such pre-modern types of semi-nomadic rights don’t mesh well with modern economics.