Emergency Meeting in Ras Jaraba to Address the Threat of Displacement

SadaNews - An emergency meeting was held yesterday evening, Tuesday, in the village of Ras Jaraba in the Negev region, southern Israel, due to the imminent threat of displacement of its residents, following the receipt by the "Adalah" Center of an official message indicating the imminent implementation of a Supreme Court decision.

The meeting was attended by several local leaders, including MK Walid al-Hwejla, the head of the regional council for unrecognized villages Atiyah al-Asam, the head of the High Follow-Up Committee for Arab Citizens of the Negev attorney Taleb al-Sana'a, alongside the representative of the "Adalah" Center attorney Marwan Abu Freih, and the deputy head of the council Mu'iqil al-Hwejla.

During the meeting, residents expressed their deep concern about the threat of displacement, questioning their fate and the possibility of their removal without providing fair alternatives. In contrast, the leaders presented the legal and popular efforts made to halt demolition operations and ensure the residents' right to safe and stable housing.

At the end of the meeting, it was decided to once again approach the court with a request to postpone the execution of the decision, as well as to escalate popular struggle, especially in front of the Dimona municipality, in case of non-compliance with previous promises.

The meeting was managed by the council's general director, Suleiman al-Hwejla, emphasizing the necessity of continuing joint efforts to defend the rights of the village's residents.

600 Residents Facing Marginalization and the Threat of Displacement Amid Absence of Basic Services

The residents of Ras Jaraba, located east of Dimona, numbering about 600 individuals from the al-Hwejla, Abu Salb, and al-Nassasra families, live in difficult conditions, inside tin shacks lacking electricity, water, and infrastructure, due to the Israeli authorities' non-recognition of their ownership of the land. About 300 students are forced to travel up to 25 kilometers daily to reach their schools in the village of Qasr al-Sir, while Ras Jaraba lacks kindergartens and other educational frameworks.

This land is historically owned by the al-Hwejla tribe and is known as "Al-Sha'iriah" or "Murakbat al-Hwejla". It extends from the Kerenbe area (near the British Mandate police station) to the Umm Dmina area, which includes a known water well around which the first houses in Dimona were established, carrying its name.