Arabs illegally settling the Negev in land grab race

By Atara Beck, Jewish Tribune

The red dots on the attached map indicate the areas of Bedouin settlement in the Negev.The red dots on the attached map indicate the areas of Bedouin settlement in the Negev.

JERUSALEM – There is an ownership race between Arabs and Jews in the land of Israel that is not limited to the territories of Judea and Samaria, and time is of the essence.

This was the focus of discussion at a recent meeting in a private home organized by Regavim, which defines itself as a “social movement established to promote a Jewish Zionist agenda for the state of Israel.”

As stated in Regavim literature, “Israel is losing its hold on the Jewish people’s lands,” including in the “very heart” of the country.

In the Negev, for instance, the Bedouin now claim more than 200,000 acres – an area 16 times the size of Tel Aviv, explained Ari Briggs, director of Regavim’s international department.

The Bedouin in the Negev “don’t live in tents anymore. Tents are a façade for further building,” which is often done on JNF land, he said.

“Many of these people… have been followed leaving in their Mercedes-Benzes and going to their mansions,” which, according to Briggs, house polygamous families. Although illegal in Israel, several are “importing wives from Jordan, Syria, Lebanon…and wherever they can get them,” and they have tens of children. Unlike decades ago, “today, less than one per cent of Bedouin children serve in the army.”

He also noted the “Islamification” of the Bedouin community, whose population “doubles approximately every 15 years.”

According to aerial photography maps provided by Regavim, most of these areas were empty until recently, contrary to claims by the Bedouin settlers that they had been living there for decades or for centuries.

Briggs mentioned, among other examples, a new Arab settlement of Dahmash situated just five miles outside of Tel Aviv, which claims to be a long-time Palestinian village.

“It’s happening all over the place,” he said. “They’re aiming at the bedrock of Zionism. It’s a silent conquest.”

Those aiming to conquer Jewish land have resorted to destructive behaviour, including “agricultural crime and theft, extortion through violence and threats, hooliganism in the streets, malls and entertainment centres and environmental pollution.”

Briggs blames the situation on a “hesitant Israeli leadership and the bound hands of the enforcement authorities.”

National Union MK Dr. Aryeh Eldad addressed the crowd, stressing that the issue is “not a territorial conflict” between two nations fighting over a piece of land.

Those attempting to solve the Arab-Israeli conflict have been misled into thinking that the solution would be to divide the land, he said.

“The Churchill White Paper of 1922 was the first example. He gave three quarters to the Arabs and he didn’t solve the problem,” and each attempt to divide the land has resulted in further bloodshed.

“The nature of the conflict is a religious war, a true clash of civilizations,” although there are some “territorial symptoms….

“[As a medical doctor], I don’t know how to cure diabetes, but I can treat it in order to contain it. We can contain the conflict, reduce bloodshed, treat it symptomatically…and one of the symptoms is the Arabs’ huge appetite for the land.”

He cited the establishment of “25 new Arab settlements in the centre of the country in daylight, not underground…and building every day in every open piece of land.”

The government is doing practically nothing about it, Eldad said; there are court orders against illegal settlements, but the only ones being acted upon are Jewish settlements in Judea and Samaria.

“[Jerusalem Mayor Nir] Barket told me there are about 4,000 court orders against illegal Arab buildings in Jerusalem. He needs 300-400 policemen to destroy each home, but he can’t get them…. They don’t want noise and riots in the international community….

“There are huge areas of the country where this race is happening every day. We need pressure, exactly what the left was doing for 25 years,” he stated, pointing to “Peace Now and other left-wing groups funded by the European Union, New Israel Fund, etc. They know how to do it. NIF is a powerful tool; we need to counterbalance it.”

To this end, Regavim has been gathering data by conducting field surveys, as well as documenting and recording the status of land all over Israel, checking the actions of the state authorities, taking legal action against building and environment violations, drafting and promoting recommendations to Israel’s decision makers, producing and publishing public reports, and advocating in parliament and internationally to promote Israel’s national interests.

The organization has made substantial achievements, including, for example, a precedential ruling ordering the Abu Basma Regional Council to demolish 65 houses illegally built in the Negev within a year.

Notwithstanding the challenges, “we will solve this,” Briggs asserted.

August 23, 2012 | 18 Comments »

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18 Comments / 18 Comments

  1. Canadian Otter Said:

    It is a mistake to wait for Feiglin or for any other leader to save Israel. The people will have to take responsibility for defending their country against the anti-Zionist minority, as I indicated in my previous talkback.

    Here we go again. Just how will the people take responsibility? I still believe the answer lies with Feiglin either inside or outside of Likud. Feiglin transcends party affiliation much like Ariel Sharon did. It should be possible for Israelis of all political and religious stripes to rally behind him and see him as a leader of the truly Jewish sector of the population. But even here, like I wrote earlier, all anyone wants to do is dump on him instead of searching out a strategy to help him achieve his aims which are the same as ours.

  2. @ Canadian Otter:
    You precisely describe it.
    Mr. Feiglin either has chosen or was moved into a setting with no possible future relevance in the LIKUD. I resigned from the Central Committee and the LIKUD 9 months ago. It is a front only.
    If he would accept the facts as they are and either join others or stakes on his own then he may have a following, if nothing is placed on his way…

  3. @ Emmess:
    They’ll never allow Feiglin to lead the Likud. The party elite will resort to any means available to stop him.

    It is a mistake to wait for Feiglin or for any other leader to save Israel. The people will have to take responsibility for defending their country against the anti-Zionist minority, as I indicated in my previous talkback.

    The Stephen Harper Canadian Conservatives had many years to take over the old Progressive-Conservative party. Israel does not have the luxury of waiting for Feiglin to gain a few percentage points in popularity every few years. Every day Jews are losing more and more territory to the Arabs and losing out in just about every national and international issue except demographics. And even that is in question with the growing number of Arab and African infiltrators in the country. Future voters, no doubt.

  4. Everyone here has outlined the problems and even the proposed solutions are problematic although denying press privileges to clear enemies of the Jews is a good start. But there is an answer and every time I show my support for it, I get all kinds of ridiculous objections ranging from theological to nonsensical political.
    To me, the answer is for all of us and every Zionist whether Jewish or not, is to get behind Moshe Feiglin. He is trying to pull off exactly what brought Stephen Harper to power. It reminds me of the Baron Munchhausen story of the wolf that eats its way into a galloping horse only to end up in the reigns, pulling the wagon.
    I have followed Feiglin’s career since he was on trial for sedition for the terrible crime of blocking traffic. He is as close as possible to the “everyman” of Israel, not too religious but not secular. He represents normality in a political system run by extremists. If you oppose him, ask yourself why in light of the problems Israel faces. Some say he has the wrong rabbi. Who the hell is the right rabbi? Some say you can’t combine Judaism with democracy. Democracy is an adjective, not a noun. It is another way of defining “good government”. Feiglin declares he wants a Jewish state, not a religious state. There is nothing undemocratic about being a good Jew.
    If you can find another leader willing to throw himself or herself so devotedly into the battle against the ridiculous political system that is Israel’s, let’s hear about it. Until then I see Feiglin as fulfilling the role of some of our best biblical leaders, fending off fools and slaying giants. Sounds kind of messianic, doesn’t it? Jews keep begging for the coming of Moshiach but maybe they just keep kicking him to the curb when he shows up.

  5. @ SHmuel HaLevi:
    To stop Arab empowerment Jews need to organize.

    As long as millions of Israeli Jews remain passive in face of the Anti-Zionist/Arab minority onslaught, this march towards the dismantling of Jewish Israel will continue.

    Jews cannot afford to wait for a future government to fix things. There must be an organized Jewish mass movement to counteract the anti-Zionist tide NOW.

    ~~~~~~~~~~~

    Anti-Zionists not only control the main centers of power in Israel, particularly media and education, but they try to crush the Jewish spirit with the belief that even peaceful resistance is futile.

    People can grumble and they can vote, they say, but they must eventually submit to the anti-Zionist minority agenda. It’s what the “international community” wants, anyway.

    To lend legitimacy to their treasonous behavior, anti-Zionists have allied themselves with prominent foreign organizations and individuals, and with powerful governments as well. Precisely because they have an anti-Israel and anti-Jewish bias.

    ~~~~~~~~~~~

    Since Israeli political leaders – whichever their ideology – routinely end up under the control of the anti-Zionist elite, the only way for Jews to effect any positive change is not through elections but through popular pressure.

    There was a brief show of organized Jewish outrage in response to the African invasion of Jewish cities. The government stopped laying out the red carpet for Africans and the rate of infiltration slowed down dramatically. Demonstrations worked!

    But there are still almost 100,000 illegal Africans in Israel, on top of the estimated 200,000 to 300,000 PA infiltrators. No more Jewish protests means no deportations.

    If patriotic Jews organize themselves into a powerful pro-Jewish organization, and enlist the support of reputable Jewish leaders, both secular and religious, and if they remain persistent no matter what the odds, they will eventually overturn the anti-Zionist agenda, one policy at the time.

    This organization can start in Yesha. Yesha Jews are the ones suffering the most from discrimination and abuse. They should be motivated to organize. And then their organization could grow into a national one aimed at changing the system. They must have democratically elected leadership and be clear in their aims of stopping the de-Judeization and dismantling of Israel. Unless Israeli Jews unite against the anti-Zionist/Arab agenda, there is no hope.

  6. @ Avigdor Ben-Dov:
    You are 100% on target.
    The GoI, government of Israel, has for decades sabotaged the Jewish nature of our state regardless of whom is in appearance only in government.
    Blatantly and w/o solution of continuity.
    That is one of the reasons why we have for over ten years advocated government structure and non elected official root changes.
    It cannot be corrected “from within”. the present government system must be demolished to its foundations.

  7. The clerks and administrative directors who register and supposedly supervise construction all over Israel but are not forceful in regard to non-Jewish land grabs and illegal Arab building. They all should be strongly criticized and even removed from their postions for derelection of duty. Start here and maybe they can be replaced by true Zionist staff and management. The housing Minister also does nothing to help improve the Jewish character of land ownership. What about the illegal building in Wadi Arah where houses are built on JNF land and trees planted by the State are cut down to make more space for mansions on the hillsides overlooking the road to Afula?
    This is not in the perifery. It is fear of the nations who hate us that freezes the thinking of many beaurocrats and Ministers and police authority to take decisive action for the sake of protecting our national heritage. Woe to us that we are cursed without courageous leadership to go against the stream and save our Land.

  8. James B – Canada,

    “In all due respect, I disagree that not allowing media access to demonize it will act against Israel’s image.”

    Please tell me how denying access to the anti Israel media will be more damaging than giving them free reign to do so from within the country which seems to give more authenticity to their vile propaganda.

    Mickey O – Canada

  9. @ Bill Narvey:

    In all due respect, I disagree that not allowing media access to demonize it will act against Israel’s image.

    Americans already have a low opinion of their media. The ratings of CNN, MSNBC have been falling like a rock for years. In many markets and in the Americas where CNN International is available, no body is watching.

    Many countries on the US aid list offer very limited access to journalists.

    Israel should use a crisis to take out the garbage.

    The real issue is US aid. THIS MUST COME TO AN END. I am very pro America ( I did my CPA in Chicago and lived for one year in the US ) but approx. 117,000,000 or more live solely or partly on the good graces of US welfare; i.e., food stamps, social assistance, or employed by a govt federal or state ( soldiers, IRS, police, civil servants ,,,). Who produce nothing for the country. Sad. Canada is better but when you are sick, you are sick. And we are also sick.

    Israel cannot morally take any money from the US. The debt of 16trillion and unfunded debt of 120trillion and at best questionable amounts of metal and oil reserves to support this and given that the US money supply is about 10trillion, the US is going KFC and therefore Israel should not concern itself with the Western media nor its fans.

    http://www.usdebtclock.org/

    An attack on the eve or day of the US Presidential and Senate/ Congress Elections is I believe the ideal time to take out garbage.

  10. “Author: Bill Narvey
    Comment:
    Denying access to the media is unrealistic venting.”

    “venting • figurative release or expression of a strong emotion, energy, etc. : children give vent to their anger in various ways”

    You seem ignorant of the fact that Israel has been at war since its founding.
    A country at war does not provide its enemies, including those those who profess to be its friends, with the means or opportunity to promulgate false propaganda about it.
    To deny those entities the privileges accorded true friends is not “venting”. It is not a childish temper tantrum. It is a necessary means of survival, of self defense. It is an action that should have been taken long ago.

  11. My first interview of a leftist cabinet minister, former MK Ori Orr, made me understand fully that only the strip between Tel Aviv and Herzlia were Israel. Jerusalem, Hebron, and all the rest were just headaches and expendable. One approach I suggest is to institute a system of real estate credits whereby land can only be purchased with a real-estate currency. In order to obtain real estate sheckles, one must be Jewish. There can be a method whereby non-Jews could purchase land but with definite conditions.

  12. Denying access to the media is unrealistic venting.

    Israel receives aid from the U.S., largely to support the military infrastructure. If the problem in tearing down illegal Israel-Arab/Bedouin residential and community support structures is that there are not enough Israeli police as Jerusalem Mayor Nir Barket has said, it seems it would be prudent to siphon off some of that aid to expand the Israeli domestic police force.

    The low grade interminable war against Israel is being fought on a number of levels. Israel must see in each level a battlefield where they must get engaged.

    It is most puzzling that Ari Briggs of Regavim says that notwithstanding the challenges, Israel will solve this problem. Clearly the consensus at the private Regavim meeting was that Israel is doing nothing to solve it.

  13. James B,

    I fully agree with you.
    If only Israel would implement your suggestions.
    Do not forget the vicious print media and their stalwart suppliers of propaganda.
    That would put a huge dent in the anti Israel public relations club.

  14. Refuse the annual licenses granted to CNN, RT,ABC, CBC,CBS, BBC to report in Israel. These unfriendlies use Israel as their Mid East hub for news reporting.

    Strike at the first opportune moment of the latest international financial crisis or scandal when the news media is looking the other way.

    Do it on a Friday night when it may or may not appear in the media until Monday.

    Do it on the previous evening or day of the American presidential election.

  15. Israel must not let this happen.
    The state must keep on top of these illegal settlements and eradicate them as they happen not a year, not a month, not a week after the fact, but immediately.
    It is only natural that the rest of the world will condemn Israel as is the custom. But let the rest of the world worry about the Bedouins. Israel has enough problems without allowing more to evolve without doing anything to prevent them.
    This will be an ongoing problem as long as Israel is surrounded by Muslims.
    It is a matter of meticulously keeping out the weeds before they take over the entire garden.

  16. The things would be very easy if those who are leading this country would be really Zionists. But they are not anymore, very few are, they are concerned of international opinion – why? Who from that “international opinion” is concerned for the ex-Ghazans, for the children from Sderot, for the citizens of the south which has to take almost on everyday basis rockets from the terrorist of Ghaza… Who is worried, thoughtfull for them? Bedouins are nomads, they are people who migrate from place to place, even till today. Their houses are grotesque and hilarious in the same time. The government should act to keep at least some architectural decency in this regards if they decided to close their eyes. And the excuses of the politicians that they need 300-400 police officers – use the army, are a lot of youngsters there which would do the job or use a security company, they will do it happily for some cash OR in south w/o any problem they could use volunteers, they would need not more than 40 policeman, one coordinator and will go over 500 volunteers. Always excuses and the BS of the “international opinion”. Why we have to eat this stupidity?

  17. The post Jewish aggregate or AKA “elites” much rather “settle” Tel Aviv and its North suburbs in particular.
    All the rest of Eretz Israel outside the filthy rich compound has been abandoned and more often than not assaulted to be destroyed. The “idf” and police are at the call of the unJewish courtiers always ready to destroy, block, sabotage any attempt to settle Eretz Israel.
    As the folkloric say goes. In the minds of the post Jewish Hertzl fellowship, Hedera and Gedera are the “northies” limits of the unJewish state. Everything outside those limits is negotiable… IN PARTICULAR Judea, Samaria, the Negev, the Galilee and also of course Jerusalem and the Golan.
    It is high time to once and for all dump the unJews into the arms of their islamic partners and failing that, OUT!