Negev Coexistence Forum for Civil Equality
פורום דו-קיום בנגב לשוויון אזרחי
منتدى التعايش السلمي في النقب من أجل المساواة المدنية

Eviction of the Bedouin village of Tal ʿArād

08.04.2021

Press release

NCF wishes to draw your attention to the recent events concerning the State’s eviction policy and forced displacement of the residents of the Bedouin village of Tal ʿArād.

Last Monday 5th of April, governmental authorities distributed 100 eviction orders that were posted on the homes of the residents of Tal ʿArād, as well as on buildings, fences and trees in the village. The orders request the residents to evacuate the village within the next five weeks, otherwise they will have to undergo forced demolitions and high administrative fines.

The unrecognized village Tal ʿArād is located north-west of the Jewish town of Arad and has a population of 1,700 people. The original residents of the area were the Jahalin tribe who were transferred by the State in 1951 from the Negev/Naqab area, and currently reside in the area of Mishor Adumim. Following the establishment of Israel, State authorities internally displaced Bedouin families to Tal ʿArād, from other areas of the Negev/Naqab (mainly from the area of al-Lagiyyih) and after Israel tried to displace them to the west Bank and the Armistice Committee ordered the State of Israel to bring them back to the Naqab.

The residents of Tal ʿArād live without any basic infrastructure such as electricity, running water and paved roads. The elementary school is the only one in Israel that operates without running water. Students and teachers have to wait for water tankers, which are supposed to arrive every few days. These hard conditions are detrimental for the health and development of children and adults.

Despite the difficulties faced by the residents of the unrecognized villages during 2020, 2,586 structures were demolished in the Bedouin villages in the Negev that year. Despite the pandemic and humanitarian emergency which led to a rise in unemployment, lack of educational frames and digital means for remote learning, state authorities prioritize the investment in displacement policies rather than providing the Bedouin citizens with the means to thrive.
The formation of a new government for the fourth time in two years does not change the reality
of the Arab Bedouin communities in the Negev. The incoming government must recognize the unrecognized villages and take responsibility for the 90,000 residents that live without proper infrastructure, stop the Human rights infringement, and provide the means for development and a dignified life for all of its citizens.

For any further questions, please contact Elianne Kremer at intl.advocacy@dukium.org