Days of Palestine – Negev
Israeli occupation forces demolished Al-Araqeeb village in the Negev Desert on Wednesday for the 183rd time, local agencies have reported.
They said that the Israeli forces entered the village with a number of bulldozers and demolished homes and tents. The residents were displaced despite the awful weather.
Despite the prevailing stormy and rainy weather, the Israeli bulldozers stormed the village displacing its people in the open.
The demolition of Al-Araqeeb tents came today after they were demolished the last time, on January 20, 2021.
This is the second time that the tents of Al-Araqeeb residents have been demolished since the beginning of this year 2021 until today, while the people re-erect them every time from wood and a nylon cover to protect them from the bitter cold in the rainy weather and despite the coronavirus pandemic.
The people of Al-Araqib affirmed their steadfastness and determination to stay on their land and rebuild their homes and tents yet again. They stressed their rejection of Israel's plans to destroy dozens of villages in the Negev with the aim of displacing their people and seizing their land. Israel plans to build Jewish towns in their place.
Al-Araqib was demolished for the first time in 2010. Israel does not "recognize" the village, but its residents point out that they own the land and have done since the Ottoman period, decades before Israel was created in occupied Palestine. They intend to remain there despite the repeated demolitions.
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