Clashes and injuries as bulldozers demolish houses in the Negev

Police detained an Arab-Palestinian Bedouin and his son during clashes in the unrecognized Al-Araqib village in the Negev during clashes in the area Tuesday, residents said. Residents in the Araqib village reported that clashes erupted when members of the Israeli land authority attempted to enter the cemetery of the village. The police detained Sheikh Sayyah al-Turi and his son Aziz. A-Turi, the Sheikh of Al-Arakib, and his son were released today, Wednesday, without court discussion. Residents added that two cars and a water hose were confiscated from the village.

Also, Israeli police detained six Palestinians while another six were injured during clashes that erupted as Israeli bulldozers demolished a house in the Wadi al-Niam village in the Negev, on Tuesday.

Awwad Abu Freih from Al-Arakib: "Hundreds of Israeli demolition forces arrived to the area to demolish and destroy and detain residents." Police forces near Al-Araqib on Tuesday (Photo: Coexistence Forum in the Negev)

Awwad Abu Freih from Al-Arakib: “Hundreds of Israeli demolition forces arrived to the area to demolish and destroy and detain residents.” Police forces near Al-Araqib on Tuesday (Photo: Coexistence Forum in the Negev)

Residents in the Wadi al-Niam village told Ma’an that clashes erupted in the village as Israeli bulldozers demolished a house of an elderly woman, Amnah Abu Sweilem, 70. The Israeli police detained six Palestinian youths and another six, including three women, were injured during the clashes; ambulances took them to the Beersheba Soroka Hospital.

Ismail Abu Sweilem, a resident of the village, said that some locals headed to an Israeli court to stop the demolition order and that they did not expect demolitions to take place during the Sukkot holiday. “Israeli forces, vehicles, the land authority and bulldozers arrived at 9 a.m. and demolished the house,” Abu Sweilem said. He added that the Israeli authorities were attempting to displace them from the village to the Shqeib al-Salam town. “We want to stay in our village and even requested to develop the village but the government keeps halting and stalling and they want us to leave.”