Dr. Awad Abu Freih: A systematic scheme targeting local authorities aiming to displace us and instigate internal strife in the Negev

SadaNews - The Israeli occupation authorities in the Negev, represented by the "Bedouin Settlement Authority," the "Israel Lands Authority," and the "Jewish National Fund" ("Keren Kayemeth LeIsrael" - "KKL"), are pursuing a systematic policy aimed at undermining the powers of the Arab local authorities in the Negev, which number seven. This policy aims to strip them of their sovereign roles in the region.

This includes the "blue line" within these villages, where this approach transforms local authorities into nominal institutions while the actual decision-making power shifts to employees of the three Israeli entities. This follows changes in the constitutional regulations within the Israeli institutions in the Negev, keeping these policies in place even if governments change.

In this regard, Arab leaders in the Negev warn that these practices do not stop at land confiscation and appropriation; they target social cohesion as the Israeli authorities seek to destabilize and stir internal conflicts through a population replacement policy. This is manifested by forcing Arab citizens to demolish their homes with their own hands, and then attempting to forcibly relocate them to areas that were owned by other citizens. The residents perceive this deliberate measure as aimed at inciting strife among members of the same community, shifting the blame onto the community's members instead of the official entities.

Source: Arabs 48