On the eve of the holy month of Ramadan, Israeli police re-entered a Bedouin village Tuesday [10 Aug 2010] to repeat the demolition of homes they had razed only a few days earlier.<\/p>\n
Israeli police closed off entrances to Al-Araqeeb, in southern Israel’s Negev Desert, and tore down houses that had been partially rebuilt in the past week, confiscated water tanks, attacked livestock and arrested five people, said Talab El-Sana, an Arab member of the Knesset.<\/p>\n
Even the village sign was taken down, he said. And villagers, who were getting ready for Ramadan, set to begin Wednesday, resorted to the cemetery for shelter.<\/p>\n
Israeli police spokesman Micky Rosenfeld said police were removing sheds that were built illegally.<\/p>\n
According to Israeli civil rights groups, more than a 150,000 Bedouins live in villages like Al-Araqeeb, not recognized by the Israeli government, not provided with any municipal services.<\/p>\n
Israel insists the villagers don’t own the land or have building permits and the demolitions were in response to a court order.<\/p>\n
“In compliance with court orders we will return if necessary,” Rosenfeld said.<\/p>\n
Villagers, however, say they’ve lived in the region dating back to Ottoman days before Israel was founded, and have original deeds to the land.<\/p>\n
Police first raided Al-Araqueeb, five miles north of Beer Sheva, on July 27, leveling homes and uprooting trees. Villagers began rebuilding immediately.<\/p>\n
Tuesday’s raid was the third time the village has been demolished.<\/p>\n