Israeli Authorities demolish several Arab constructions in the Negev

Friday February 22, 2008 08:00 by IMEMC Staff

The Israeli Authorities in the Negev area demolished on Thursday morning four houses, one shop and a public facility in al Far’a, Wadi Al Ni’am and Um Amatan unrecognized Arab villages in the Negev.

One house was demolished in Al Far’a village, one shop in Um Amatan village, a public facility in Al Hawashla village, and one house in Wadi Al Ni’am village.

Hussein Rafay’a, head of the Regional Council of the Unrecognized Arab Villages in the Negev, stated that the demolishing of the construction is part of the of an ongoing campaign by the Israeli authorities against the Arab villages in the Negev as the government is expanding and construction Jewish-only settlements in the area.

Rafay’a added the dozens of houses and constructions were demolished in several villages although the lands are owned by the villagers but “Israel insists on emptying the area from its Arab residents in order to construct and expand the settlements”.

“We never left our lands, we never will, we will rebuild whatever they demolish”, he stated, “The Israeli government claims democracy but at the same time it is practicing ethnic-cleansing against us while the whole world is idle”.

He also said that the United Nations and several human rights groups know about what is happening in the Negev but did not attempt to aid the residents who are facing this daily injustice, annexation and misplacement.

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