Tuesday 6 February 2024

As rockets are fired into Southern Israel, Bedouin communities in the Negev are left vulnerable without protection. The fact that Bedouin villages being ‘unrecognised’ by the state results in a lack of access to services and infrastructure, including bomb shelters. Several NIF partners, including NIF Australia grantees Bimkom and the Regional Council for Unrecognised Villages (RCUV) were able to convince the Negev-Galilee and Social Equality Ministries to approve $8 million for the construction of mobile bomb shelters in Bedouin towns. So far, 52 much needed new shelters have been placed in Negev Bedouin communities. 

Further, in the aftermath of October 7 and subsequent rocket attacks, many Bedouin residents in the Negev have suffered from injury and financial loss. Many are entitled to compensation, however attempting to make such claims can be complex and difficult. RCUV has been supporting the coordination of disseminating videos over whatsapp to educate Bedouin on their rights. Featuring local Palestinian attorneys, the videos provide information for Bedouin on issues such as navigating government bureaucracy for financial support for houses destroyed in rocket attacks.