Six new ‘residential areas’ are to be constructed in the Negev, a sub-committee of the Israeli National Council for Planning and Building (NCPB) has agreed — five for Jews and one for Arabs.
According to Al Ray Palestinian Media Agency, rights organisations assert that this measure undermines a number of unrecognized Arab villages already in the area, villages which have existed for decades, and that the project is to be carried out at the expense of those dwelling there.
Environmental associations have also protested, calling for existing Jewish settlements to be expanded instead of constructing new ones, in order to reduce the environmental impact.
The village of al-Araqib has now been demolished 71 times.
