Within the policy of compulsory displacement : A new plan to uproot the Bedouin communities from al-Ghoor and Jerusalem

September 11, 2014

The so-called Inspection Sub-Committee of Israel Civil Administration deposited a number of  master plans, which aim at establishing substitute villages in the areas of al-Nuwei'ma and Duyuk al-Fauqa, north of Jericho for the Bedouin communities located in the Palestinian Jordan Valley al-Ghoor  and occupied Jerusalem. 

This step is taken to wipe out the Bedouin communities in the area so that colonies find room to expand and to accomplish the grater aim of Israel, which is to annex the lands of al-Ghoor to the State of Israel. For example, Male Adummim and Kedar colonies. Noteworthy, this is to implement the E1 Project that comes within the occupational project "Grater Jerusalem".

It should be marked that the Inspection Sub-Committee of Israel Civil Administration deposited on August 27, 2014 three master plans at the expense of Nuwei'ma lands. According to the advertisement, the master plans gave lands owners a 60 objection period. Another three similar master plans were advertised by the same side on 10/09/2014. The following table shows information about the master plans :

Source: advertisements featured in al-Quds newspaper on 27/08/2014 and 10/09/2014.

It should be mentioned that the occupation started working on this plan without referring to residents of the area or even asking for their opinions. The occupation designed the new places without taking into consideration the nomadic nature and life style of Bedouins, who cannot stand any other life style but theirs. As a result, around 2000 families (12500 members) from different areas namely( al-Khan al-Ahamar, Mikhmas, a community east of al-Teba area, Bedouins of Mu'rjat, Bedouin of Ein Samya, al-Auja and Bedouins of al-Ka'abna) were forced to move to the project's designated area. Noteworthy, each family has only an area of 200m2 to build and reside, knowing that this area is not enough to shelter one Bedouin sheep. 

The gravity of this plan is represented in the absence of futuristic amendments and modifications on the area designated for each bedouin person within the master plan. This will probably conflict with population growth in a period of twenty years where the area cannot accumulate people.

Photos 1+2: al-Nuwei'ma displacement plan

Photos 3-4: the targeted area as the plan shows

Ironically, despite all international pressures and calls upon Israel to stop its practices of land grab, home demolition and displacement, it still insists on taking this step to implement such a racist project.

A new community of NO life standards:

The Israeli occupation claimed that this project aims directly at enhancing the life standards and conditions of Bedouins in al-Ghoor but apparently the building area given to each person in addition to the new location totally contradict with the kind of life Bedouins used to have. The nomadic lifestyle will not be there in the new substituted community, knowing that they will be moved to an overcrowded area famous for poverty and lack of infrastructure.

A complementary plan of a previous project:

It is indicated that this plan is a complementary one for a pervious project  prepared for the bedouin community of arab al-Jahalin in 1990s where the occupation forced them to move from the edges of Jerusalem to a small town that is located next to a waste dumb in Abu Dis area. As a result, people lost their pastoral and nomadic lifestyle since they left their original habitat. Also, displaced people got their lands lost and exploited for the favor of Male Adummim expansion.

It should be also mentioned that what the occupation does nowadays is considered a war crime  in as well as to  a contradiction and violation of all international conventions that compels any occupation to maintain civilians rights in occupied territories and their Right to Housing. On the contrary, the occupation looted civilians right, demolished their homes and forcefully displaced them to places other than their original towns.

Prepared by

 The Land Research Center
LRC