Bedouin Communities Under Threat in the Naqab
Overview
Since the 1948 Nakba, Bedouin communities in the Naqab (“Negev”, a region in southern Israel) have faced forced displacement, discriminatory policies, segregation, and forced urbanization at the hands of the Israeli government. In the 1950s, Israeli authorities concentrated the Bedouin into the ‘Siyag’ (fence in Arabic, sometimes transliterated as 'Sayig') area, a closed military area, and subsequently established townships to further control and restrict their access to land and other resources, which a large percentage of Bedouins were forcibly relocated into. Since that time, Israel has only recognized a small number of the remaining Bedouin villages, but, even so, these villages still lack basic services and infrastructure. Today, around 30% of the Bedouin population in the Naqab (approximately 90,000 people) live in 34 villages that remain “unrecognized” by Israel, leaving them faced with a continuous threat of home demolitions and forced displacement. Israel's policy of forced displacement and segregation of Bedouin communities in the Naqab is part of a broader process of Judaization, which has been explicitly stated as a goal by the Israeli government over the years. Read more about the history of forced displacement and racial segregation of Bedouins in the Naqab.
This interactive map guides viewers through the ongoing forced displacement faced by Bedouin communities in the Naqab. The map is divided into three main sections. The first section provides an overview of all of the Bedouin villages in the Naqab. The second section displays a map of Bedouin villages that are currently under imminent threat of displacement. The third section provides a detailed guide of the "development" and infrastructure plans that Israel is pursuing, which are designed to induce displacement of the Bedouins and provide benefits exclusively for Jewish citizens.
Use the header above or scroll down to navigate between sections. Please note that all maps are interactive, so use the zoom controls to adjust the map view and click on markers for more details.
Bedouin villages in the Naqab
Villages Under Imminent Threat
All unrecognized villages face the persistent threat of forced displacement, as the Israeli government considers the villages to be illegal. The villages listed in the map below currently face an imminent threat of displacement, as they have received eviction orders, warnings, court decisions approving their evictions, or have already experienced the demolitions of a significant portion of their village.
Umm Al-Hiran | أم الحيران
Atir | عتير
Umm Bedoun | أم بدون
Tal-Arad | تل عراد
Al-Bat Algharbi | الباط الغربي
Ras Jrabah | راس جرابة
Al-Bqea’ah | البقيعة
Al-Sirr | السر
Al-Araqib | العراقيب
Umm Al-Hiran | أم الحيران
Umm Al-Hiran is home to Bedouin citizens who were forcefully displaced from their ancestral land in the area of Wadi Zubaleh. In 1956, the Israeli military government issued a directive that required the relocation of the residents to the area of Wadi Atir. Subsequently, the displaced Bedouins established two neighboring villages - Atir and Umm Al-Hiran. No public services are provided in the village.
In 2003 and 2004, the Israeli authorities filed eviction lawsuits against the residents of Umm Al-Hiran, along with motions for judicial demolition orders for all homes and agricultural structures in the village. The state’s objective was to pave the way for the construction of the Jewish town of “Hiran” on the ruins of Umm Al-Hiran. The Be’er Sheva Magistrates’ Court approved the eviction and demolition orders, and the courts, including the Supreme Court, upheld the orders despite the residents’ appeals.
Case citation: (Supreme Court) Appeal 3094/11, Ibrahim Farhood Abu al-Qi’an, et al. v. The State of Israel (decision delivered 5 May 2015)
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Atir | عتير
Atir is home to Bedouin citizens who were forcefully displaced from their ancestral land in the area of Wadi Zubaleh. In 1956, the Israeli military government issued a directive that required the relocation of the residents to the area of Wadi Atir. Subsequently, the displaced Bedouins established two neighboring villages - Atir and Umm Al-Hiran. No public services are provided in the village.
In 2004, the State of Israel initiated eviction proceedings against the residents of Atir to make way for a grazing area as part of the Yatir Forest and Park Plan. The Be’er Sheva Magistrates’ Court approved the eviction orders, and the courts upheld the orders over the residents’ appeals, including the Supreme Court. In July 2010, the Israeli Committee for Principal Planning Issues recommended recognizing the village of Atir. However, following the intervention of a representative from the Prime Minister’s Office, the Committee rescinded the decision.
Case Citation: (Supreme Court) Appeal 3094/11, Ibrahim Farhood Abu al-Qi’an, et al. v. The State of Israel (decision delivered 5 May 2015)
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Umm Bedoun | أم بدون
In the early 1950s, the Israeli military government ordered the residents of Umm Bedoun to move from their ancestral land in the area of Kurnub, to establish a nuclear installation near Dimona. In June 2020, eviction warnings were issued against all the residents, to make way for a firing zone/military training area for the Israeli army.
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Tal-Arad | تل عراد
Tal-Arad’s residents are internally displaced from different locations in the Naqab, including the areas of Hura, Lakiya, ‘Amrah, ‘Abdeh, and Elkeshkher. The Bedouin tribes who lived in Tal-Arad were displaced following the Nakba in the early 1950s to the villages of Nebi Samuel, Masafer Yatta, and Khan al-Ahmar in the West Bank. The village has an elementary and middle school for students in the first to eighth grades.
In March 2022, Israeli authorities issued eviction warnings against the residents living in the western part of Tal-Arad, which makes up 60% of the whole village. The authorities are seeking to displace some of the residents to the eastern part of the village, aiming to concentrate the residents in a far smaller area.
The Israeli authorities intend to build four new Jewish-Israeli ‘community towns’ on the ruins of Tal-Arad, pursuant to a governmental decision passed on 27 March 2022.
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Al-Bat Algharbi | الباط الغربي
In 1978, Israel displaced the Bedouin residents living in the area of Tel El-Malach and transferred them to Al-Bat Algharbi, under the pretext of the peace agreement signed between Israel and Egypt.
The village land has been designated as a ‘firing zone’ since the late 1990s. In 2019, the Israeli authorities issued eviction orders to all residents of the area. Israel plans to displace the residents of Al-Bat Algharbi to a new neighborhood called Mitcham Krayot in the Bedouin village Mak-houl. No public services are provided in Al-Bat Algharbi.
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Ras Jrabah | راس جرابة
Ras Jrabah is a historical village located in close proximity to the primarily Jewish city of Dimona. The land on which the city of Dimona was built is the ancestral land of Ras Jrabah’s residents, who were previously displaced from a large part of their land to make way for the city. No public services are provided in the village.
In 2019, the Israel Land Authority filed ten eviction lawsuits against 127 residents of Ras Jrabah and their families. The aim of these evictions is to facilitate the expansion of the predominantly Jewish city of Dimona, which would take the last remnants of their land. The authorities plan to displace them to the government-planned Bedouin township of Qasr Al-Sirr.
Case citation: Civil Case No. 16715-05-19 The State of Israel via Israel Land Authority v. Al-Hawashleh Fatmeh, et al. (the community is represented by Adalah)
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Al-Bqea’ah | البقيعة
In the early 1950s, Israel expelled the residents of Al-Bqea’ah from Kurnub to the lands of what is today Al-Bqea’ah. No public services are provided in the village.
In 2022, Israeli authorities filed 18 eviction lawsuits against 254 residents of Al-Bqea’ah. The community is represented by Adalah.
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Al-Sirr | السر
In the early 1950s, the Israeli military government displaced the residents of Al-Sirr from their ancestral land in various areas of the Naqab, including Haddaj, Elmaheriyah, Shrekieh, and the area where the Emek Sarah industrial area was established in Be’er-Sheva. The residents were displaced several times, under the pretext of national infrastructure plans, until they were settled in Al-Sirr, within the jurisdictional area of the Bedouin government-planned township of Shaqib Al-Salam.
In 2020, 69 eviction lawsuits were filed against all residents. The Israeli authorities intend to displace the residents of Al-Sirr to make way for the establishment of a highly urbanized neighborhood in Shaqib as-Salam on its ruins.
Al-Araqib | العراقيب
Al-Araqib is a historical village, the inhabitants of which were displaced during the Nakba. Their lands were arbitrarily confiscated under the Land Acquisition Law (Actions and Compensation) (1953) and designated for forestation. No public services are provided in the village.
On 27 July 2010, the Israel Land Authority, together with over 1,000 police officers, razed the entire village: 46 structures, including 30 homes, were destroyed and thousands of olive trees were uprooted. A handful of families have vowed to stay and repeatedly rebuild their homes, despite the government’s relentless efforts to destroy the village and seize their land for forestation. As of August 2022, Israel had destroyed the village 205 times to make way for two Jewish National Fund forests.
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Displacement Projects
"Development" and infrastructure plans that Israel is pursuing, which are designed to induce displacement of the Bedouins and primarily benefit Jewish citizens.
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Railway Lines
Goral Line - railway
In 2010, the Southern District Planning and Building Committee submitted the plan to construct a the existing railway entrance to Be'er Sheva with a military intelligence base and industrial sites. The railway would cover an area of about 1500 dunams (370 acres). The railway will affect families in Al-Mkaymin, ‘Awajan, and Lakiya and in the area of Wadi Khalil.
Plan No. TA/31/A/2/21 (Hebrew)
Affected villages:
Al-Mkaymin is a historical village. No public services are provided in the village.
‘Awajan is a historical village, and some of its residents are internally displaced Bedouin citizens whom the Israeli military government displaced from their historical lands in several locations in the Naqab. No public services are provided in the village.
Upgrade and expansion of railway: Be’er Sheva – Dimona – Tzefa – Rotem
In 2020, the Southern District Planning Committee initiated a master plan to upgrade the railway between . The railway expansion would cover an area of over 14,000 dunams (3,460 acres), and its implementation would directly affect over 65,000 Bedouin citizens of Israel who live in both recognized and unrecognized villages. The plan would result in the destruction of more than 350 structures.
In December 2020, Adalah, Bimkom and the RCUV submitted an objection to the plan on behalf of 130 Bedouin residents residing in unrecognized villages who would be negatively impacted by the plan. The Southern District Planning Committee rejected the objection in April 2021, and a request for permission to appeal to the National Council for Planning and Building was also denied, in June 2021.
Plan No. 605-0150086 (Hebrew) Upgrade and expansion of railway: Be'er Sheva – Dimona – Tzefa – Rotem
Affected villages:
Khashim Zannih is a historical village. In 2021, the government adopted a resolution recognizing the village. However, the resolution involves plans to relocate some residents to a different area in the village and it has not been implemented yet.
The plan to expand the railway would cause damage to approximately 80 buildings belonging to families living to the north of Highway 25.
Al-Zarnouq is a historical village. A health clinic and schools operate in the village providing education from kindergarten through the 12th grade for students from Al-Zarnouq and neighboring villages. In 2012, the right-wing settler organization, Regavim, petitioned the Be’er Sheva District Court seeking to evict the residents of Al-Zarnouq and demolish their homes, claiming that the land is privately owned by a Jewish citizen and that the residents of Al-Zarnouq are trespassers. The court rejected the petition, and in 2016, the Israeli Supreme upheld the lower court’s decision.
The plan to upgrade the railway line poses a threat to residents residing in the southeastern part of the village, and would cause damage to approximately 80 buildings in the village.
Bir Al-Mshash is a historical village. The village has kindergartens and middle school that serves its residents, providing education up to the ninth grade.
The plan to expand the railway is poised to cause significant harm to three neighborhoods in the southern part of the village that are located alongside the current railway line. The plan involves the demolition of about 250 buildings of various types, including homes, warehouses, and other buildings used for various businesses through which residents make their livelihoods.
Al-Sdeer is a historical village. Some of its inhabitants were displaced from their ancestral land to make room for the Nevatim Israeli Air Force Base. No public services are provided in the village.
The plan to expand the railway will result in the demolition of about 70 different types of buildings, including homes, in three neighborhoods and will cause significant harm to the quality of life of many residents in the affected areas. In the northern part of the village, the proposed railway track will come within very close proximity of the homes of several families.
Umm Ratam is a historical village. Its residents currently live on both sides of a railway, and several families were left living in a narrow enclave between the railway connecting Be’er and Rotem and Highway 25. No public services are provided in the village.
The plan to expand the railway connecting Be’er Sheva and Rotem would cause damage to approximately 180 buildings of different types in the village, including residential buildings, sheep pens, and warehouses.
Qasr Al-Sirr is a historical village. After the establishment of the primarily Jewish city of Dimona on some of their land, the residents of Qasr Al-Sirr were forcibly concentrated on the remaining land. In 2002, Qasr Al-Sirr was officially recognized by Israeli authorities. However, during the planning process, when the boundaries of the village were delineated, the eastern section of the village, where approximately 40 families reside, was excluded. These families live under the constant threat of displacement.
The plan to expand the railway entails the creation of a dual railway track, which would result in these 40 families - comprising about 200 people - being trapped in a narrow strip of land between the two tracks. This situation endangers their lives and their health.
Dimona – Yerucham Railway Line
The planned would take up an area of approximately 3,600 dunams (890 acres) of land for the construction of train tracks, stations, access roads, and other related facilities. The plan would cause widespread harm to the residents of the Bedouin village of Rakhmah living along the proposed route.
In September 2017, the Rakhmah village committee, the RCUV, Bimkom and Adalah submitted an objection to the Southern District Planning and Building Committee. In December 2017, the Committee rejected the objections and a request for permission to appeal to the National Council for Planning and Building was also subsequently rejected.
Affected village:
Rakhmah is a historical village. It has been home to Bedouin residents since before the establishment of the State of Israel, as well as to Bedouin citizens who were displaced to the area by the Israeli military government from various areas in the Naqab, including ‘Abdah and Sahl Elbaggar. Three kindergartens operate in the village. In November 2021, the government adopted a resolution recognizing the village.
The proposed railway plan would have severe adverse effects on the residents of Rakhmah. The construction of the railway would lead to the obstruction of roads that connect the residents to their extended families, agricultural areas, planned service centers, kindergartens, and mosques. Additionally, strict limitations would be imposed on construction and development along the route of the railway and in large areas of land on which residential housing currently stands, and would also result in the demolition of homes.
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Be’er Sheva – Arad Railway Line
In 2017, the Southern District Planning and Building Committee announced a plan to construct a. According to the plan, the railway would require 4,700 dunams (1,160 acres) of land for the construction of tracks, stations, access roads, and other related facilities.
In August 2017, the village committee of Al-Fur’ah, the RCUV, Bimkom, and Adalah filed an objection to the plan. In December 2017, the Committee rejected all objections to the plan, and in 2018 a request to appeal the decision was also rejected.
The railway will harm Bedouin residents along its route by blocking off village access roads, denying access to homes and farmland and preventing the use of agricultural areas, imposing restrictions on construction, and as a result of land confiscation, home demolitions, and evictions. Around 50,000 Bedouin residents will be adversely affected.
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Affected villages:
Al-Fur’ah is a historical village. The village was recognized by Israeli authorities in 2007 and has kindergartens, elementary and middle schools. To date, however, a master plan for the village has not been approved, as the Bedouin Authority halted the planning process for Al-Fur’ah because of the Sde Barir phosphate mine project.
The plan to construct a railway between Be’er Sheva and Arad would entail the imposition of severe planning and development restrictions on land used by Al-Fur’ah residents. The proposed railway route will lead, among other things, to the destruction of dozens of buildings in the village. Many other buildings will be affected by noise pollution.
Al-Za’arourah is a historical village. No public services are provided in the village.
The plan to construct the railway would result in the blocking of access roads to the villages, leaving residents disconnected from all national, regional, and local transportation connections. The plan also threatens agricultural land that the residents rely on for their livelihoods.
Al Bhirah is a historical village. No public services are provided in the village.
The plan to construct the railway between Be’er Sheva and Arad will result in the blocking of access roads to the villages, leaving residents disconnected from all national, regional, and local transportation connections. The plan also threatens agricultural land that village residents rely on for their livelihoods.
Ghazzah is a historical village. No public services are provided in the village.
The planned railway between Be’er Sheva and Arad will result in the blocking of access roads to the villages, leaving residents disconnected from all national, regional, and local transportation connections. The plan also threatens agricultural land that the village residents rely on for their livelihoods.
Al-Mat-har/Qatamat is a historical village. The village is divided by Road 80. No public services are provided in the village.
The planned railway between Be’er Sheva and Arad will result in the blocking of access roads to the village, leaving residents disconnected from all national, regional, and local transportation connections. The plan also threatens agricultural land that the village residents rely on for their livelihoods.
Al-Mazra’ah, also known as Al-Mazra’ah\ Jabal Dayeh (المزرعة/ جبل دية ) is a historical village. No public services are provided in the village.
The planned railway between Be’er Sheva and Arad will result in the blocking of access roads to the village, leaving residents disconnected from all national, regional, and local transportation connections.
Highway 6
Government Resolution No. 1421, passed in February 2010, approved the extension of national Highway 6 to the south. While a section of the highway has already been constructed, plans are underway to pave an (from the Shoket Interchange to Nevatim), which will result in the forced displacement of Bedouin residents of , Bir Al-Hamam and families living in the area of Wadi Khalil.
Bimkom estimates that there are approximately 400 buildings in the area of the planned route used by the Bedouin citizens for various purposes, including residence, traditional hospitality and agriculture. 200 additional buildings are located in the immediate proximity of the planned route and will be directly affected by it. It is estimated that between 2,500 and 3,000 residents live in the area of the plan or in an area that is directly affected by it, and these residents will be forced to evacuate their homes and land. In 2010, Bimkom, the Association for Civil Rights in Israel, and the RCUV filed a petition to the Supreme Court demanding the cancellation of the plan. The Supreme Court dismissed the petition in June 2011.
HCJ 3459/10 Atiyyah Elathamin, et al. v. The Government of Israel, et al. (2011)
Read more:
Plan No. Tama 31/A/21
Affected villages:
Khashim Zannih is a historical village. In 2021, the government adopted a resolution recognizing the village. However, the resolution also involves plans to relocate some residents to a different area in the village and it has not yet been implemented.
The village will border Highway Road 6 and residents living in close proximity to the planned road will be displaced.
Bir Al-Hamam is a historical village. No public services are provided in the village. Bimkom, together with the United Residents’ Committee of the Bekaa villages, Shatil, and the RCUV, have drafted a document of planning principles for the village. The Authority for the Development and Settlement of the Bedouin in the Negev began an initial planning process.
High-Voltage Power Lines
A is set to cover an area of about 18,200 dunams (4,500 acres) and poses a significant threat to the homes of thousands of Bedouin citizens in the villages of Wadi Al-Mshash, Al-Sirr and Wadi Al-Na’am.
The plan will involve the installation of a primary power line running from the Tzafit high voltage station to the Rotem high voltage station, with an additional connection to the Ramat Hovav high voltage station.
Plan number: Tama 10/C/9 (Hebrew)
Affected villages:
Wadi Al-Mshash is a historical village. Some residents are internally-displaced Bedouin citizens who were forcibly displaced from their historical land in several regions in the Naqab, including the areas of Elkhalasah and ‘Abdeh, and relocated by the Israeli military government and subsequently by the Israeli authorities on multiple occasions (in 1950, 1970, and 1979). No public services are provided in the village.
The plan for the construction of a high-voltage power cable through the village will pose environmental and safety hazards that are expected to lead to the demolition of buildings.
Wadi Al-Na’am is home both to individuals who were internally displaced from a nearby area in the south-western Naqab in the 1950s, when the Israeli military government forcibly transferred them from their historical lands in the western Naqab, which Israel designated as a firing zone, and to individuals who had been living in the area prior to the establishment of the State of Israel. The village has elementary and middle schools.
The plan for the construction of a high-voltage power cable through the village will pose environmental and safety hazards that are expected to lead to the demolition of buildings.
Al-Sirr is home to Bedouin residents who were forcibly displaced by the Israeli military government in the 1950s from their ancestral lands, which were located west of the village's current location. No public services are provided in the village.
The plan for the construction of a high-voltage power cable through the village will pose environmental and safety hazards that are expected to lead to the demolition of buildings.
New Jewish Towns
On 27 March 2022, the government adopted a resolution approving the establishment of five new Jewish ‘community towns’ in the , given the temporary names of Mevot Arad 1, Mevot Arad 2, Mevot Arad 3, Mevot Arad 5, and Mevot Arad 6. The planning processes for these towns are to be carried out in conjunction with the Settlement Division of the World Zionist Organization. On 10 April 2022, the government passed another resolution to examine the potential establishment of an additional in the eastern part of the Be’er Sheva metropolis (surrounding Road 25 – Road 80), given the temporary names of Nevatim South, Omrit, Givaat Adarim, Talma, Telem, Talia and Diya. (Boundaries as of May 2023.)
is planned to be built on the land of the Bedouin village Al-Zarnouq.
is planned to be built on the land of the Bedouin village Umm Ratam.
is planned to be built on the land of the Bedouin village Umm Al-Hiran.
Phosphate Mine
In 2018, the Israeli government approved a ‘National Master Plan for Mining and Quarrying’, which authorizes the construction of phosphate mines covering a combined area of 26,354 dunams (6,512 acres) in and Zohar South. The construction of the Sde Barir mine is expected to forcibly displace thousands of Bedouin citizens of Israel in the planned area and its vicinity, and to lead to the demolition of about 500 homes. It will also create serious health and environmental hazards for the remaining residents of several Bedouin villages in the area.
In January 2019, Adalah, together with 168 residents of Al-Fur’ah, the RCUV, the Association for Civil Rights in Israel, Bimkom, and Physicians for Human Rights-Israel, petitioned the Supreme Court against the plan. In October 2021, the Court determined that any advancement of the plan to build the phosphate mine must be considered on the basis of the findings of a new environmental impact survey, which must take into account some of the affected Bedouin communities in the area.
Read more:
Case Citation: HCJ 512/19 Younes Dhabsha v. The National Council for Planning and Building (decision delivered 11 October 2021)
Affected villages:
Al-Fur’ah is a historical village. The village was recognized by Israeli authorities in 2007 and has kindergartens, elementary and middle schools. To date, however, a master plan for the village has not been adopted, as the Bedouin Authority halted the planning process for Al-Fur’ah because of the Sde Barir phosphate mine project.
The planned phosphate mine itself poses a threat to the residents of Al-Fur’ah, with approximately 150 buildings in the village located within the designated mining area. Many residents within the village are expected to have to endure the hazardous environmental impacts of the mine.
Ghazzah is a historical village. No public services are provided in the village.
The planned phosphate mine poses a threat to residents of Ghazzah, since approximately 520 buildings belonging to residents are located within the designated mining zone. Furthermore, many of Ghazzah’s residents are expected to have to endure the hazardous environmental impacts of the mine.
Al-Za’arourah is a historical village. No public services are provided in the village.
The planned phosphate mine poses a threat to residents, since approximately 220 buildings belonging to the residents of Al-Za’arourah are located within the designated mining zone. Furthermore, many residents of Al-Za’arourah are expected to have to endure the hazardous environmental impacts of the mine.
Al-Mat-har/Qatamat is a historical village. The village is divided by Road 80. No public services are provided in the village.
The planned phosphate mine poses a threat to the residents of Al-Mat-har/Qatamat, since approximately 310 buildings belonging to residents are located within the designated mining zone. Furthermore, many of the residents are expected to have to endure the hazardous environmental impacts of the mine.
Military Installations & Firing Zones
Since 1948, the Israeli government has designated large swathes of land belonging to Bedouins as military firing zones, primarily for military training and exercises. This had resulted in extensive land grabs and severe restrictions on the development of Bedouin communities across the Naqab.
Ramat Beka
In January 2019, Israeli authorities announced a plan to relocate a military-industrial zone to the Naqab. The plan seeks to establish a massive weapons testing facility, referred to as , on a vast tract of land at the expense of thousands of Bedouin residents. The weapons testing facility, of an Israeli firearms manufacturer, is to be relocated from central Israel and will occupy an area the size of Haifa and Tel Aviv combined—112,838 dunams (27,882 acres).
The relocation of the facility will result in the demolition of approximately 1,213 structures, including many homes, and the forcible displacement of the Bedouin residents living in them. It will likewise restrict the development of several Bedouin villages.
In 2018, Adalah, Bimkom, and the RCUV filed an objection to the plan that was subsequently rejected by the Southern District Planning and Building Committee.
Administrative Appeal 2098/20 Southern District Planning and Building Committee v. Salman Abu Qrinat
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Affected villages:
Abu Qrinat/Umm Matnan (أبو قرينات/ أم متنان) is a historical village. The Israeli authorities recognized a part of the village – Abu Qrinat – in 2003. The other part of the village – Umm Matnan – remains unrecognized.
The proposed Ramat Beka military-industrial zone plan puts approximately 730 buildings in the village at risk of demolition and eviction. The plan also exposes the residents to significant health, safety, and environmental hazards, imposes severe development restrictions on the village, and prevents its future expansion.
In June and October 2022, the Be’er Sheva Magistrates’ Court issued demolition orders for buildings located within the area of the plan in June and October 2022, without notifying the owners in advance (ex-parte).
Wadi Al-Mshash is a historical village. Some residents are internally-displaced Bedouin citizens who were forcibly displaced from their historical land in several regions in the Naqab, including the areas of Elkhalasah and ‘Abdeh, and relocated by the Israeli military government and subsequently by the Israeli authorities on multiple occasions (in 1950, 1970, and 1979). No public services are provided in the village.
The proposed military-industrial zone plan puts approximately 250 buildings belonging to Wadi Al-Mshash’s residents at risk of demolition and eviction. The plan also exposes the residents to significant health, safety, and environmental hazards.
Wadi Al-Na’am is home to both individuals who were internally displaced from a nearby area in the south-western Naqab in the 1950s, when the Israeli military government forcibly transferred them from their historical lands in the western Naqab, which Israel designated as a firing zone, and to individuals who had been living in the area prior to the establishment of the State of Israel. The village has elementary and middle schools.
The proposed military-industrial zone plan puts approximately 150 buildings belonging to Wadi Al-Na’am’s residents at risk of demolition and eviction. The plan also exposes the residents to significant health, safety, and environmental hazards.
In 2020, the Association for Civil Rights in Israel and Bimkom filed an objection against the outline zoning plan drafted for the village, which would forcefully displace 70-80% of Wadi Al-Na’am’s residents and relocate them to the government-planned Bedouin township of Shaqib Al-Salam. The objection was rejected by the District Planning and Building Committee. In July 2022, the Be’er Sheva Administrative Court granted the objectors permission to appeal to the National Planning and Building Council. In March 2023, the National Council rejected the appeal filed by the organizations.
Read more:
Administrative Petition 27177-06-21 Abu Afash v. Chairman of the District Committee for Planning and Construction, Southern District
Swaween is a historical village. No public services are provided in the village.
The proposed Ramat Beka military-industrial zone puts approximately 55 buildings belonging to residents of Swaween at risk of demolition and eviction. The plan also exposes the residents to significant health, safety, and environmental hazards.
Abu Tuloul is a historical village. In 2006, the village was recognized by Israeli authorities after a prolonged legal struggle, and the village of Al-Shahabi was incorporated into it.
State authorities intend to displace some of the residents and relocate them to areas within the village's “blue line”, which delineates the boundaries of the village. The village has a health clinic, and elementary and middle schools. After a prolonged legal struggle and a petition filed by Adalah, a high school was also constructed in the village.
The proposed military-industrial zone plan puts approximately 28 buildings belonging to Abu Tuloul’s residents at risk of demolition and eviction. The plan also exposes the residents to significant health, safety, and environmental hazards.
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HCJ 2848/05 Fatma Abu Sabila (Ali) et al. v. Ministry of Education and Culture et al. (2007)
Forests
Israel uses afforestation as a tool to expropriate land belonging to Bedouin citizens of Israel. The Jewish National Fund (JNF) has afforestation projects across the Naqab, often on land subject to ownership disputes. The JNF functions without transparency or external supervision, and thus the map below is incomplete, and indicates only JNF’s afforestation projects that have become public. In January 2022, the JNF carried out afforestation activities on the land of the , which sparked vast protests in the Naqab.
threatens the villages of and
threatens the village of , and .
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Thank you for using this interactive map, we encourage you to check back regularly as we continue to update the map in accordance with developments and actions taken by Israeli authorities to accelerate the forced displacement of Bedouins in the Naqab.