Amid crisis, government said advancing plan to recognize 10-12 Bedouin villages
Report says negotiations to start Thursday over ‘unprecedented’ program; 21 arrested in 2nd night of riots over official tree-planting in Negev, which has sparked coalition turmoil
By TOI STAFF
Amid Bedouin riots and a major coalition crisis over controversial tree-planting in disputed parts of the Negev Desert, a report said Wednesday that the government was advancing a comprehensive plan to recognize some unrecognized villages.
For the second night in a row, residents of southern Bedouin communities clashed violently with police Wednesday night over the three-day Jewish National Fund planting in the region, seen by the Bedouin communities as part of a government effort to expel them from their unrecognized hamlets.
Police said Thursday morning that 21 rioters were arrested during the night in Tel Sheva, Segev Shalom and Rahat. On the previous night, 18 people were arrested.






