In a letter addressed today to High Representative of the Union for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy, Ms Federica Mogherini, EuroMed Rights and CIDSE warn about the imminent demolition of Umm al-Hiran, a Bedouin village in the Naqab (Negev) in southern Israel.
As the EU has repeatedly encouraged Israel to ensure an equitable, fair solution to the unrecognised Bedouin villages, EuroMed Rights and CIDSE call on the EU to urge Israel to halt the forthcoming demolition of Umm al-Hiran and protect every citizen’s rights regardless of their race or national belonging. The above organisations highlight that Israel’s forced eviction policies blatantly violate international human rights law and should be seen in the context of increasing institutionalised discrimination against Palestinian citizens of Israel.
If this demolition goes ahead, the Israeli authorities will forcibly displace about 350 villagers and thus set a dangerous precedent for the evacuation of around 70 000 Palestinian Bedouin citizens of Israel living in villages that the Israeli Government has continuously refused to recognise. The Government’s discriminatory plan is to build a Jewish-only town upon the ruins of the village, after evicting all its Bedouin residents.
More information in the letter here.