Israeli official warns Bedouins not to build amid wave of demolitions . A top commander in the Israel Land Authority on Wednesday warned Bedouins from building in unrecognized villages, after a spate of demolitions that have prompted renewed concerns among the tens of thousands whose homes are stuck in a legal limbo. Commander for the southern region of the Israel Land Authoritys department in charge of protecting state land Ilan Yeshurun was quoted by the authoritys Hebrew-language website as saying that those Bedouins in the Negev desert region who chose to build could be saddled with fines of tens or hundreds of thousands of shekels. He also added that those who violated the law could potentially be imprisoned for up to two years for the charge of construction without permits. The comments come amid fears of a renewed campaign by Israeli authorities to target Palestinian Bedouin communities both inside Israel and in the West Bank. Within Israel, about 90,000 people live in around 35 Bedouin villages in the Negev Desert in the south. Authorities deny them access to basic services and infrastructure, such as electricity and running water, and refuse to place them under municipal jurisdiction, keeping them stuck in areas previously declared state land despite their residence there. In the past week alone, Israeli authorities have demolished 13 homes in the Negev, affecting dozens of families. One house was demolished in Tall al-Sabaa, two houses were demolished in Abu Kaff, four structures were demolished in the al-Sayyid village, one house was demolished in Rahat, one house was demolished in al-Dreijat, and a kiosk was demolished in Shaqib al-Salam.
Posted on: Wed, 08 Oct 2014 20:52:51 +0000
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