Public Statement — Introduction
During the past year, Israeli governmental institutions have intensified the pressure borne by Bedouin citizens residing in the Negev, in particular by means of the Jewish National Fund (JNF).
In the past, all Israeli governments have tried to force upon the Bedouins coercive measures, whether by “regulating settlement” of unrecognized villages by their residents, or by offering “arrangements” pertaining to claims of land ownership, measures that leave no real options open to the Bedouin claimants.
In this historical context, the Bedouin community of the Negev is currently conducting an unremitting and uncompromising struggle demanding their full inherent civil rights as individuals and the return of their stolen lands and honor. This just struggle has been joined by additional forces from both the Arab and Jewish populations of Israel. The “Recognition Forum” and the “Negev Coexistence Forum” are partners in this struggle.
The policy of discrimination, malice, and injury conducted by the State of Israel against the Bedouin of the Negev has been brought to the attention of the general public and communications media in the country, but these generally exhibit indifference in the best of cases and outright hostility in the worst towards the issue of the deprivation of Bedouin rights. This phenomenon obliges all forces striving for justice and equality, inside Israel and abroad, to take up the struggle for the rights of this community.
During the past year, a Popular Committee has been established in the unrecognized village of el-Arakib to fight against the theft by and transfer of their lands to the JNF for afforestation. This specific campaign has been entirely ignored by the Jewish communication media in Israel. The “Recognition Forum” and the “Negev Coexistence Forum” have joined this struggle for the return of these lands to their legal owners. Among the initiatives undertaken by these organizations as part of their planned information campaign are paid advertisements in the press, holding of rallies, the preparation and distribution of printed material, and demonstrations of solidarity including organizing water transports, sowing of grain, planting of olive trees, and more.
Naturally this campaign requires a good deal of money, but unfortunately our present financial backing is virtually nil; without such support we will increasingly encounter difficulties in undertaking the various project that we want to and are capable of performing
We ask you to sign the petition that appears below and to contribute as much as you can to help us realize the aims of our campaign.
Checks and bank transfers should be made to the “Negev Coexistence Forum,
POB 130, Omer, Israel. Account No 176050. in Bank HaPoalim in Branch 570, SWIFT code poalilit. IBAN:090125700000000176050
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