Are the Negev Bedouin an Indigenous People?

Fabricating Palestinian History

by Havatzelet Yahel, Ruth Kark, and Seth J. Frantzman
Middle East Quarterly, Summer 2012, pp. 3-14 (view PDF)

In the last two decades, there has been widespread application of the term “indigenous” in relation to various groups worldwide. However, the meaning of this term and its uses tend to be inconsistent and variable. The expression derives from the interaction of different cultures—the meeting between the original inhabitants of a specific region (known variously as “first nations,” “natives,” “indigenes,” or “aborigines”) and new, foreign “settlers” or “colonizers,” who imposed their alien value systems and way of life on the indigenous populations.[1]

In Israel, the indigenousness claim has been raised over the past few years by the country’s Bedouin citizens, a formerly nomadic, Arabic-speaking group centered in the southern arid part of the country, the Negev. They argue that Israel denies their basic indigenous rights such as maintaining their traditions and owning their own lands.

Does this claim hold water? What are its implications for Israel as well as for other nations?

CONTINUE

October 10, 2012 | 2 Comments »

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  1. HIGH TECH ISRAEL does not have a decent national ID system?

    Regarding non-Israeli wives acquired by Bedouin: In an era when identification can be easily established by fingerprinting, to start with, and then by other more sophisticated means, why is it that so many infiltrators can cross into Israel and establish themselves there so easily? There are over 200,000 PA Arabs living this side of the Green Line. There should be a campaign to establish an efficient national ID system.

    NO ID – – NO BENEFITS, NO HEALTH CARE, NO DRIVER’S LICENSE, NO NOTHING.

    ~~~~~~~~~~~~~

    Also – why not use drones to spot the start of illegal Arab construction within 24 or 38 hours? It would be easier to deal with it at that point than after they’ve already built an entire town.

    On second thought, that kind of government dereliction of duty may be part of a plan… It’s called Facts on the Ground: Oops, too late now.

  2. Jewish National Fund has been routinely giving Jewish land to Arabs, including Bedouin. I don’t have an overall solution for the Bedouin/Arab takeover of Israel (not under the current dhimmi system in Israel, anyway), but until there is a comprehensive policy to deal with the issue, there are all these little holes that could be plugged up in the meantime.

    The Jewish media were outraged by the recent disruption of a JNF fundraiser in Berlin. But there is no sign of outrage at the fact that JNF misrepresents itself as a pro-Jewish organization soliciting funds to buy land for Jews, and then turns around and gives significant parts of the land to the enemy!

    JNF ceding northern forest land for Arab towns development – http://www.haaretz.com/print-edition/news/report-jnf-ceding-forest-land-in-north-for-development-of-arab-towns-1.408071

    Rampant Arab building in JNF land – http://www.israelnationalnews.com/News/News.aspx/152997