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

Press release 20-3-2005

22.03.2005

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منتدى التعايش السلمي في النقب

Negev Coexistence Forum

www.dukium.org

                                                                                                          20.3.05

Press Release

 

In a meeting chaired by the Negev Co-Existence Forum and Alma College representatives that took place on 17 March 2005 in Tel Aviv, Avishai Cohen (Head of the Coordination and Control Department in the Prime Minister’s Office) stated that the Bedouin Authority is a limiting and inhibiting factor to the progress of the Bedouin population in the Negev. Mr. Cohen added that the Prime Minister’s office intends to dismantle the Authority for Promotion of the Bedouin Community in the Negev.

The Prime Minister’s Office Intends to Dismantle the Bedouin Authority
 
 
Dr. Toby Fenster, from the Hebrew University, Mr. Ishak Abu-Hamad from the village Drijat and Mr. Avishai Cohen, Head of the Coordination and Control Department in the Prime Minister’s office participated in the discussion. During the heated debate Mr. Avishai Cohen stated that the Bedouin Committee is a limiting and inhibiting factor to the progress of the Bedouin population in the Negev. According to Mr. Cohen, the municipality heads of the Bedouin communities in the Negev refused to sign a warrant for the dismantling of the committee, however the Prime Ministe’s office intends to go ahead and dismantle this unnecessary body.
Dr. Toby Fenster said in response that the problem in the attitude of Israeli governments towards the Bedouin society is the lack of continuous policy and inability to set a clear agenda.˜It has been 25 years since I began studying the Bedouin community and every time I raise fundamental issues I am responded to with numerical data supposedly showing progress in attending this society, whereas in reality there is no change we were struggling with the Bedouin Authority for years and now the Prime Minister’s office once again is changing its policy and wishes to close it down.
Chaya Noah of the Forum of Co-Existence in the Negev said that he State of Israel has created a dysfunctional amorphous body to control the Bedouins and it is now searching for a way to destroy the monster it created. It is ridiculous to blame the continuing existence of the Authority on the Bedouins.
The Bedouin Committee was established in 1986 as a body belonging to Israel’s Land Administration. Although it was established in order to resolve land issues, the Authority has extended its remit and deals with almost any subject that relates to the Bedouin population in the Negev  particularly regarding the provision of services to this population, such as education, infrastructure, health services and water. In the past, the State Comptroller harshly criticized the committee’s function and its excess annual budget.

For further details: Ariel Dloomy 050-7701118