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Home of a Bedouin family from the Naqab demolished by Israel (photo: Amanda Schweitzer).

“The Knesset must legislate a compensation/eviction law for the Bedouins in the South, similar to the compensation/eviction law for settlers from Gush Katif.” So says Minister for Development of the Negev and Galilee, Yaakov Edri, to ynet . Adri suggests generous compensation for lands taken over, relying on recommendations of the committee headed by Judge Eliezer Goldberg which is dealing with this topic. This committee is currently drawing up policy concerning the settlement of Bedouins in the Negev, and Edri suggests that the committee’s recommendations be anchored in law. According to Edri’s suggestion, a precise timetable must be determined for evacuating the lands held by Bedouins. Afterwards, if they don’t leave voluntarily, Edri suggested establishing a special unit of the police and military, the task of which will be to forcibly evict the Bedouins. Edri notes that “we must prepare the enforcement officials, the police and army for implementation of the law, as we did with Gush Katif. One who does not agree to evacuate for compensation – we will treat him as we did with the settlers.” Edri added that after the law passes, the state will be obligated to demolish within a short time period all new illegal building in the Negev. The taking over of state lands by the Bedouins is a phenomenon occurring for years. Past attempts to find practical solutions did not work, and various plans and reports on this matter are gathering dust. At the end of 2007 the government decided to establish the Goldberg Commission. In parallel, an implementation body was established which will act in accordance with the commission recommendations to regulate the settlement of Bedouins in the Negev within five years.

Concern over ‘losing’ the periphery in the Negev and Galilee In various government offices and amongst security officials, a fear has been expressed over the past few years of ‘losing’ the periphery in the Negev and Galilee, both because of the relative paucity of Jewish settlers in these areas, and the taking over by Arabs of state land. The enforcement ability of the police in these areas is limited, and large tracts of state land have been transformed over the years into private land of Arab residents. Red lights were lit with various officials, including the security establishment, who have recently warned of the entry of residents into the ‘Hadera-Gadera’ area. “There is widespread taking over of state lands,” says Edri. “This phenomenon is spreading, and our problem becomes graver. I am concerned that when there is no law and order, we lose entire areas of land in Israel. We have neglected the topic of the Bedouins for many years. On the one hand we did not take care of them appropriately and on the other, the state did not use its authority in all the necessary ways.”

The Minister for Development of the Galilee and Negev warns that if the state does not find fast and fair solutions for the Bedouins, which will include and upgrade in infrastructure, the education system and living conditions, Israel will lose the loyalty of the Bedouins. According to Edri, “If we continue to not provide them with solutions, this will eventually boomerang against the state, including in security issues. They will not be loyal to Israel for much longer. Therefore, I suggest a package that includes both a carrot and a stick and I hope the Commission will offer them fair compensation, both financial and alternative lands.”

*This article originally appeared in Ynet (http://www.ynet.co.il/articles/0,7340,L-3573629,00.html) on 27 July 2008. Translated from Hebrew by the Alternative Information Center.