Home demolition in Naqab/Negev, Israel

In response to demolishing five homes in Um Mitnan, a protest tent and rebuilding

Israeli police and Interior Ministry officials demolished five homes in Um Mitnan village on 27 February 2006. Um Mitnan is one of the villages that belong to Abo Basma Regional Council, which is a governmentally appointed body to run the recently recognized villages (from among the hundreds of “unrecognized” Arab villages slated for demolition). The demolished homes are outside the Israeli-imposed borders of the recognized villages.

The demolition force entered the homes and forced out the women and their children, who were crying and scared. The authorities demolished these homes were two days after the Solidarity Day organized last Saturday, 25 February, protecting such demolitions and population transfer. This action seems to be a direct challenge to the Arab public and organizations that showed solidarity with the people in the unrecognized villages.

The RCUV warns against the consequences of this policy. The RCUV also sees the Regional Council Abo Basma as part of the conspiracy that aims at forcing the people to accept “concentration” in the planned townships belonging to this body.

The RCUV has established a protest tent in the village. Mr. Hussein Al-Rafay’a, RCUV chairperson, said that Friday prayers will be held in the village and added that the RCUV will help the people there rebuild their homes next Friday and Saturday.

For further information and expressions of solidarity, please contact:

Faisal Sawalha
Resource Development and Public Relations
The Regional Coucil for the Arab Unrecognized Villages in the Negev
E-mail:
faisal.rcuv@gmail.com <mailto:faisal.rcuv@gmail.com>
Website:
www.rcuv.org
Tel: +972 (0)8 628-3043
Fax: +972 (0)8 628-3315
Mobile: +972 (0)50 734-2917