Amnesty: Israel must stop Bedouin evictions

Human rights NGO Amnesty International has urged Israel to scrap plans to forcibly evict Bedouin tribes from areas in the Negev in the country’s south, according to a statement. Draft legislation, entitled “Law for Regularising Bedouin Habitation in the Negev – 2012,” was approved by Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s previous government and threatens around 30,000 Bedouins with eviction. Communities in the southern Negev and Najab deserts have never been formally recognised by the Israeli government. “Forcibly evicting tens of thousands of Bedouin from communities where they have lived for generations cannot be justified in the name of economic development or any other reason – Israel’s new leaders must have the courage to venture where previous governments have ignored human rights standards,” said Ann Harrison, Middle East and North Africa Deputy Director at Amnesty International. Proposed laws are currently under scrutiny, after objections raised during consultations with Bedouin communities and local human rights organisations.