Bedouin Village Al Arakib Demolished Today for the 64th Time in Southern Israel

http://revolution-news.com/southern-israel-bedouin-village-al-arakib-demolished-today-64th-time/

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The Bedouin village of  Al Arakib in the Naqeb/Negev region of southern Israel was demolished again for the 64th time. Heavy police forces, including masked special police squads, cordoned off the area, making it impossible for supporters to reach the villagers.

The villagers and supporters were concentrated in one area of the cemetery compound and confined there while the demolitions took place. Residents appealed to the court this morning and managed to get a temporary restraining order, but the police forces, aware the order was processing hurried to complete the demolition before the order could be obtained. Even when the order was obtained, the police refused to allow the residents to show it to them. Eventually, the residents ran after the bulldozers with a picture of the fresh order someone sent from court.

The village of Al Arakib dates back to before the founding of the state of Israel. The village residents were expelled in the 1950′s by the Israeli military, and in the 1990′s the village residents and their descendants returned to their lands to reestablish the village and reclaim their lands. After years of court battles and massive harassment by the police, the Jewish National Fund and the Israel Lands Administration, the village was completely destroyed 2010, with only the village cemetery compound surviving the destruction. Since then, the residents had been living in this compound, building their huts and a mosque there as well, while trying again and again to rebuild their village after 64 back to back demolitions since 2010. Today, the Israeli authorities demolished the structures inside the cemetery compound as well.

Gate of cemetery where the residents pitched their tents during the last 3.5 years since the village was demolished.

Demolition of minaret

Four hours beforehand, the village water tank, its only source of water, was removed. The authorities insisted that all its water be spilled out in front of them.

Two police cars rushed to the scene to stop two children from the nearby Bedouin township of Rahat who were making their way to the village, each with a bottle of water to express solidarity and give the village residents a bit of water.

This tent which is being used as a mosque is the only area which was not destroyed today.

The women of the village inside the mosque tent after the demolition of it minaret and the entire village

Following the demolition, the village leaders spoke of a dark day for Israeli democracy, they spoke of a justice system that serves only as its rubber stamp. Aziz A-Turi and his father Sheikh Sayah A-Turi both expressed their intention to stay and struggle for their land. When evening arrived, the village’s young people began to rebuild makeshift huts in the area. Those who didn’t build were busy gathering the animals whose pens were destroyed, including geese, pigeons, sheep and horses.

Mother and her daughter in the cemetery area at the end of the demolition of the village