Attend webinar on 21st August & Conference speakers announced Photo: Home demolition, Al-Walaja. July 2024 (HIRN) Before the state of Israel was established in 1948, there were around 90,000 Bedouins living in the Naqab but after the war, the state began an ongoing process of evicting the Bedouins from their dwellings. Soon only 11,000 Bedouins remained as most of the communities fled or were expelled. Nowadays, about 250,000 Bedouins reside in the Naqab area in three types of localities: 35 unrecognized villages; seven governmental planned townships; and ten newly recognized villages. All of the Bedouins face discriminatory practices but for those living in the unrecognized villages, life is harsh and tenuous. Despite the residents being citizens of the state of Israel, the government deems them “illegal” and a menace. They are denied kindergartens, schools and health clinics. There is hardly any infrastructure, including electricity, running water, trash collection, paved roads and sewage disposal systems. These villages have no representation in the different local government bodies. The central Israeli policy toward the Bedouin indigenous community in the Naqab is the demolition of their homes and infrastructure vital for living. In recent years well over 2000 structures have been demolished annually. A growing phenomenon is that Israeli authorities force the Bedouin to demolish their own home or face huge, unaffordable fines. In 2024, there has been a drastic increase of demolitions with entire villages flattened in one day. In June, we reported that a few days after the ICAHD visit, Israeli authorities arrived again to uproot the trees in the village and destroy the tents and shelters its residents had erected to protect themselves. We wrote that this pattern was continuing to happen with police vans along with heavy machinery periodically arriving to demolish residential tents, uproot more trees and even plough segments of land so the residents could not erect tents at the same location. Still villagers refused to leave and had found ways to shelter amongst the ruins. On 11^th July we posted an article on Facebook which said that the people from Wadi Al-Khalil continued to erect their tents each evening and then they were dismantled every morning for fear of the inspectors arriving and confiscating them. What is also known is that each time the Israeli authorities send in the bulldozers, records are kept, and the costs of the demolitions are noted. Families are then presented with hefty bills. Following the repeated demolitions experienced by the people of Wadi Al-Khali, they will find themselves bankrupt. This also means that the Israeli authorities will never cover the costs of its demolition operations. Read the July Demolition and Displacement Report here . To gain further insight, attend the ICAHD UK webinar on 21^st August to hear from Dr Reela Raanan who witnessed the demolitions in Wadi Al-Khalil on 8^th May and who continues to advocate on behalf of the residents. ICAHD UK at 3rd August National Demonstration for Palestine Photo: Red line banner - London 3rd August The 17^th national march for Palestine was held in London on Saturday, 3^rd August. It attracted over 100,000 people of all ages and backgrounds who once again peacefully proceeded through the capital’s streets with a range of posters, banners, flags and with constant chanting. A feature of the march was the appearance of a red banner, half a kilometre long. The idea had come from thousands of US protesters who in early June held a red banner around the perimeter of the White House to symbolize the US’s red line with respect to Israel. President Biden had said in May that he would pause US weapons being sent to Israel if the Israel’s army went into Rafah. However, later the White House said that Israel’s operations in Rafah had not crossed the President’s “red line”. The idea of creating a banner to symbolize how politicians speak of not crossing what they identified as their “red lines” was then used on 29^th June in Bournemouth as it was carried through their streets. Rishi Sunak has done the same in the UK when he also declared that the invasion of Rafah was a “red line”. Time and again such rhetoric has proved meaningless because our governments continue to send military aid to Israel that facilitates the ongoing genocide in Gaza. Not only must we persist with the demonstrations, marches and vigils and the demands for boycotts, divestments and sanctions (BDS), but we must continue to bombard our political representatives in our demand for a permanent ceasefire, and the implementation of international law, holding to account all who violate it. The future of humanity demands that civil society takes this moral high ground. However, Palestinians and Palestine remain under threat. Even as we are focused on Gaza, we cannot lose sight of the bigger political picture: collusion among Israel, the US and Saudi Arabia to “normalize” Israel’s apartheid regime over all of historic Palestine in their larger geopolitical interests of ensuring Western hegemony over the Middle East in face of Iranian threats and Chinese inroads. The ICAHD UK conferences will evaluate the tragic and dramatic developments in Palestine/Israel over the past year. With the focus on the Big Picture, we ask what is our push-back? How are the Palestinians and their allies ratcheting up their struggle for Palestinian rights and, most important, what political programs for the future are Palestinians formulating? The conferences will include some speakers who are not well-known to the wider public but whom are playing key leadership roles and who must be heard. Jeff will speak in both London and Edinburgh. Naema Aldaqsha is a human rights activist and translator of English and Hebrew languages. She grew up in Gaza and studied English at Gaza’s Al-Aqsa University. She is currently doing her PhD at Exeter University. Naema will open the London conference. Livnat Konopny Decleve is a political anthropologist from Israel. She is currently affiliated with the University of Edinburgh as a British Academy International Fellow. Her current research delves into alternative political imaginations of Jewish leftwing activists working in Israel/Palestine and abroad. Livnat will speak both in London and in Edinburgh. Daoud Ghoul is from Silwan, East Jerusalem. He is a former political prisoner, the previous director of Shafaq - the Jerusalem Art Coalition and experienced being expelled from his home by Israeli authorities. Daoud is currently pursuing a PhD at Newcastle University. Daoud will open the Edinburgh conference. Register for the London ConferenceRegister for the Edinburgh Conference Additional speakers to be announced. Anas Abu Srour Released from Prison Photo: Aida Youth Centre Anas Abu Srour, the Executive Director of Aida Youth Centre, was released by Israeli authorities on 6^th August after spending nine months in administrative detention in Israeli prisons. Anas is known to those who have met him while participating in the ICAHD study tours that went into the Aida Refugee Camp in Bethlehem where Anas hosted the groups at the Aida Youth Centre. Upon his release the Centre reported, “Anas Abu Srour is a prominent figure in the Palestinian community, having significantly contributed to youth development and their engagement in social and cultural life through his work at Aida Youth Center. His role has been pivotal in providing educational and developmental opportunities for young people and supporting initiatives aimed at building a better future. Anas was subjected to administrative detention, a clear violation of human rights, where individuals are held without specific charges or a fair trial. This type of detention is widely used by the Israeli occupation to silence active voices and thwart efforts made to advance the Palestinian community.” On 30^th June 2024, the UN’s Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) reported that since 7^th October 2023, Israel’s prison service held more than 9,400 “security detainees”. Some have been held in secret without access to lawyers or respect for their legal rights. Included in those arrested are men, women, children, journalists and human rights defenders. Testimonies gathered by OCHA and other organisations such as Addameer, report issues of torture endured by imprisoned Palestinians. Examples include waterboarding, attack from violent dogs, severe beatings, policies of starvation and thirst, sexual abuse, medical neglect and more. Dates for Your Diary Wednesday, 21 August – ICAHD UK webinar – 5 – 6.15 pm – Details above Saturday, 7 September – National March for Palestine, noon, central London. More details to follow. Saturday, 19 October – ICAHD UK Annual Conference - from 10.00am to 4.00pm. Bloomsbury Central Baptist Church, 235 Shaftesbury Avenue, London WC2H 8EP. Saturday, 26 October – ICAHD UK Conference – Edinburgh – 10.30 am – 3.30 pm Quaker Meeting House, 1^st Floor, 7 Victoria Terrace, Victoria Street, Edinburgh EH1 2JL. November – ICAHD Recommended Study Tour to Palestine/Israel - details here . Many thanks for your ongong support. If you're not already a member of ICAHD UK, please join usor make a donation to enable our campaign to spread at this critical time in history. From all at ICAHD UK. https://www.facebook.com/pages/Israeli-Committee-Against-House-Demolitions-UK/366423593418140 Facebook https://www.twitter.com/ICAHDUK/ Twitter http://icahduk.org Website mailto:info@icahduk.org Email August 2024 Newsletter * ICAHD UK Webinar – Unrecognized Villages in the Naqab * July’s Demolition & Displacement Report * News from 17^th National March for Palestine * First Round of Conference Speakers Announced * Anas Abu Srour Freed from Prison * Dates for Your Diary If you are not already a member of ICAHD UK, please join us (https://icahd.org/join-us/) to enable our campaign to spread at this critical time in history. ICAHD UK Webinar The Plight of the Palestinians in the Unrecognized Villages in the Naqab Wednesday, 21 August 7 – 8.15 pm (Jerusalem), 5 – 6.15 (UK), 12 – 1.15p pm (ET, USA) With guest speakers Khalil Alamour & Yeela Raanan This webinar will provide an overview of the Bedouin community's history in the Naqab (Negev) and the ongoing struggle of residents in unrecognized villages for recognition and equality at a time when demolitions are soaring. Click here for more information and to register ICAHD's July Demolition & Displacement Report Photo: Demolished house. Silwan, East Jerusalem. 24 July 2024. Photo by OCHA Update on Wadi Al-Khalil In our May bulletin we reported on the demolition of the entire village of Wadi Al-Khalil in the Naqab (Negev), on 8^th May when its 350 residents lost their homes, outbuildings and structures for their agricultural production. Our May newsletter brought news that the participants of ICAHD’s May study tour had been able to visit Wadi Al-Khalil three days later where they witnessed the ruins and found residents sheltering under tent awnings - watch a video clip here (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=r5-MNX-HekU) . One of the Arabic speakers amongst the group spoke to a few of the women as a meal was being prepared and others engaged with some boys, sitting in a circle eating falafel sandwiches (who offered to share their sandwiches with them). View video clips and a range of photos from the march here First Round of Conference Speakers Announced Focusing on the Big picture in Palestine/Israel: From Gaza Outwards Israel’s war on Gaza captured the world’s attention. It revealed how complicit Western nations are in allowing Israel’s genocide to continue without regard for international law. It also brought millions of people of all ages and backgrounds out onto the streets, and university students out of classes and into campus encampments. At last Palestine has become a global issue connecting many other struggles. Two Conferences Saturday, 19^th October – Bloomsbury Central Baptist Church 10 am – 4 pm Saturday, 26^th October – Quaker Meeting House, Edinburgh 10.30 am – 3.30 pm Dr Jeff Halper is the Co-Founder and Director of the Israeli Committee Against House Demolitions (ICAHD). He is an anthropologist, an author, activist and one of the founders of the One Democratic State Campaign (ODSC). — ICAHD (icahd.org) /newsletter/attend-webinar-on-21st-august-conference-speakers-announced