Israeli Citizenship is no protection if you are Palestinian

JVL Introduction

Too often forgotten amidst the horrors of the genocide of Gaza, the bombings in Lebanon, the settlement expansion and setter violence in the West Bank is the reality of being a Bedouin inside Green Line Israel.  The reality is that demolitions and displacement are all too common and not unlike those that have occurred in the West Bank.

This is not new, although there has been a considerable escalation as this article shows; it is also part of an ongoing programme of removing Bedouins from their homes in the Negev.  Ten years ago the village of Al Araqib had been demolished for the 100th time. Just as in the West Bank the Bedouin villages have never been recognised and so building is considered illegal as there are no plans and also no services are provided such as water, electricity, health and so on. The demolition and displacement that took place last week leaves 400 people homeless. A building was also demolished in East Jerusalem leaving c 70 people homeless.

As well as being citizens of the State of Israel, it is important to nremember that “Palestinian Bedouins in the Negev are Arab tribes that have lived in the area for centuries and were there before the establishment of Israel in 1948.” (my emph LL)

This article was originally published by Middle East Monitor on Mon 12 Oct 2026. Read the original here.