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

Why Are Bedouin Women and Children Driven out of the Playground

28.04.2009

April 21st 2009

Why Are Bedouin Women and Children Driven out of the Playground in “Omer”?

On Monday afternoon, April 20, 2009, Omer’s security patrol, informed a group of Bedouin women and children in the local playground that they must leave the premises. A local passer-by approached and asked the security patrol why he was driving away the women and children. “Because they are not residents of Omer”, he replied. The women argued with the security patrol and did not immediately leave. Apparently, this is not the fist incident in which women and their children were driven out of the playground.

Needless to say, there is no sign posted informing the public that the playground is for Omer residents only.

Although, at the same hour, there were also other non-Omer residents in the playground, the patrol singled out only the Bedouin women and children. When asked why he had done so, he responded that he was working according to orders.

The Negev Coexistence Forum for Civil Equality asks for a serious public debate on racism against Arabs in Israel and a strong public reaction to such sad and upsetting events as the recent one described above.

 

Further details:
Noam 050-770 1118
Photos of the playground are available upon request.