The shocking case has become a burning issue • Villagers accuse the media and politicians on the right of inciting hatred • Social activist in the Bedouin sector: "After years of encountering the phenomenon of sexual assault in Bedouin society, it is not surprising that crime in the area this time included sexual assault"
"Crossing a red line, also for Bedouin society."
The Bedouin settlement of Bir Hadaj
Photo:
Dudu Greenspan
The severe weather that hit the country this week added an epic touch to the severe events that hit the area.
As I write these lines, the storm is raging outside, and large lumps of biblical-sized hail are falling from the sky.
This setting adds a dramatic dimension to events as if the universe itself is having a hard time getting over it to the agenda.
Indeed, the atmosphere in the village of Bir Hadaj over the past week has been difficult.
Since it became known that three villagers are suspected of rape that took place during a burglary in one of the southern settlements, the public spotlight has been turned on the village, and many feel under the control tribe.
This is not the first time: many cases of theft, burglary, smuggling and intrusion into IDF bases are attributed to the villagers, and the latest wave puts everyone on alert. The rape in which one of the villagers is suspected was simply a new record.
"What happened is just shocking, horrifying and noisy. This is not our way at all. This is not the way we are willing to accept," said Salma Abu Adisan, one of the heads of the village council, with whom I spoke a lot this week.
"The Bedouin population knows how to preserve the dignity of women and human dignity. It just shocked us endlessly. This condemnation comes from everyone - adults, young people. Unreserved."
Abu Adisan is a reserve major who has served for many years as a regular reconnaissance officer, and he leads a vision of integration and series of the village. In his sense, these events are undermining his many efforts. "Unfortunately, this handful is a small handful of us and it spoils us.
He spoils everyone.
These people are a negative example.
If the suspicions are indeed proven to be true, they will be expelled from our society.
It spoils our relationship with our neighbors, and we do not want to take part in such things.
Their shame will take them away from us.
No one will look inside them and no one will bring them into the house. "
He adds that" this thing also hurts the family.
The family will pay a price within the tribe.
Where is their education?
Where is the parents' education?
Now all these hard things are being said about the settlement because of a child who came out of your house! "The
connection of silence The
village of Bir Hadaj covers a large area between the Field Resources Junction and the village of Retamim, and currently has more than 8,000 residents. In the 1990s, in 2003 the village was recognized as one of the "Abu Basma" localities - a regional council that unites 11 Bedouin localities in recognition processes. The village has extensive master plans and many millions have been invested in developing roads, infrastructure and plots for the residents, and established schools and public institutions. However, in the
conversations with many in the village, the feeling that red lines were crossed is common to all, but not everyone defends as strongly as Abu Adisan. Salman Ibn Hamid, another prominent figure in the village, posted a video on his Facebook page. Where, along with condemnation of the act of rape itself, he accuses the media and politicians of the right of inciting hatred.
That's not to say it's okay, but it's not rape, "he says. The
Regavim movement stated: "If the media had been 'hired' by us, perhaps the public in Israel would have known more deeply about the dangerous climate of lack of governance in the south.
"So maybe rape in the Bedouin diaspora would get screen time like rape in Eilat."
Salem Altuhi is the principal of the elementary school in Bir Hadaj. Just yesterday I saw a video and I can not comment.
I have not heard anything yet.
I run a school and I was busy with the outline of going back to school.
I have no idea and I can not tell you anything, that tomorrow will turn out to be the other way around. "The handling of the case should, in his opinion, be left to the enforcement system at this stage:
In any case, I strongly condemn such things, and if it turns out that this did happen, they should receive their punishment in full severity. "
The difficulty of addressing the incident was also reflected in the reactions of other representatives, who did not materialize. After several phone calls, repeated rejection "Again I'm busy and cold today," I was told from one of the references.
Beyond the iron screen
as in any society, the Bedouin society also has different voices. Usually at events of this kind the official voices are heard, which are also brought here. Directors of institutions, etc. However, unlike other companies, it is difficult to penetrate beyond the official screen and talk to the ordinary residents. The connection with the media is accompanied by constant suspicion, and official representatives also have a strong position within the village. People avoid talking to journalists But in recent days I turn to more people, some of them are willing to talk. these talks are conducted anonymously, sometimes - especially when it comes to women - are delivered written messages through intermediaries. residents feel shame and distress, and it is important for them to make the voices.
"In the name of Bir Dug and on behalf of all families in the area "I'm sorry for the incident," Lenn says
And D. (pseudonym), housewife, 32 years old and mother of 4.
"The guys who made the case are irresponsible. There are a lot of people in the area who are good and they don't like this thing. Any person who does a bad thing, tomorrow or the day after tomorrow it will come back to you. In your family. "
How are these boys treated in the village today?
"People are angry at the family. Even in our religion what they did is not allowed to be done, it is not acceptable to us in any way. The parents of these boys are good and charming people, not bad people. But these guys are not good."
S., 23, a mother of three, a housewife who occasionally grazes herds, joins the protest: "I do not like these acts, and I am sorry for what happened. These guys have to sit in jail to understand their actions."
On the other hand, some of the voices find it difficult to accept the very existence of the event. "The fact that the police do not issue an official notice of rape is a problem, because it makes the whole story uncertain," a villager, a mature man working in one of the factories in the area, tells us. "Theft is also wrong, but rape is something else. A person who comes to steal does not get involved in such serious things." Asked if it would turn out for sure that it was a rape, he says unequivocally: "It's a black spot on Bir Hadaj."
A social activist with extensive experience working with Bedouin society throughout the Negev, and Bir Hadaj in particular, believes that despite the harsh reactions voiced by the residents, this should not be enough. "After years of encountering the phenomenon of sexual assault in Bedouin society, it is not surprising that crime in the space this time also included sexual assault." According to her, until they touch this root, it will not be possible to prevent the following cases. "Bedouin society, and especially society in Bir Hadaj, must condemn and regret the terrible thing that happened. But the correction begins with dealing with the phenomenon as a whole, which is comprehensive, disturbing and profound."
Unlike other localities, the Bedouin villages do not have a commercial center or a central area where you can wander in what journalists call "feeling the pulse." The village has a small number of businesses, and there are a few people in them at any given moment. The voices I hear there, when I do not identify as a journalist, are disturbing. "I have not heard of such a case," one tells me. Only after I insist does he say, "Maybe I saw something like this on WhatsApp, I don't know." And anyway he "does not believe what is said in the media. They inflate things and add things that were not. Maybe he touched her, maybe he stroked, and they just say rape." He also agrees that if it does turn out to be the case, it is serious. "This is not acceptable to us. Anyone who does it in Bedouin society pays a very heavy price." In body or in money? I ask, "In money. Lots of money."
"I think the police just wore things here," another person tells me. "They do it everywhere, they will do it to you too. You committed a small offense, they will say you also committed more offenses." To him the whole story does not make sense. "Whoever goes to steal does not think of such things, why should he go to rape? If they said an adult, maybe. But a girl? It's primitive people doing things like that. In the near future everything will turn out and we will discover that there was not."
And if so was it?
"It's very serious, whoever did it will not be accepted back, neither in the family nor in the tribe. Even when he is released from prison. He ended his life."
On the other hand, another person did not show any doubts. "It's very serious. We do not know what exactly it was, for which investigators, but it is very very serious in my eyes." Unlike others who deny any connection, he knows the suspicious boys: "I know the whole village. It surprises me that they did it. They steal. It's yes, a lot of people steal here. They also smuggle. Everything is true, but rape is a different story. It's not. Acceptable in any way. I think it's a crossing of a red line, even for Bedouin society. Everyone here agrees with me. "We're having a lot of trouble," he concludes. Quiet and livelihood. They are destroying everyone here. "√
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