The Ministerial Committee on Bedouins in the Negev, headed by Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, held its first discussion on a plan to regulate Bedouin settlement in the Negev, details of which were revealed in Israel Hayom.
Netanyahu instructed all ministries to hurry up with the staff and return to it with answers within three weeks so that Minister Amichai Shekli's plan can be implemented as much as possible. During the discussion, Prime Minister Netanyahu asked National Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir to prepare a plan to combat criminal organizations that harm the entire population. In addition, Education Minister Yoav Kisch noted the language gaps affecting social integration. In this context, the Prime Minister sought to prepare a plan to increase the activity of assimilating the Hebrew language, as a tool for development and integration into academia and work.
The Prime Minister sought to prepare a plan to increase the activity of assimilating the Hebrew language. The Bedouin Diaspora in the Negev, Photo: Dudu Greenspan
Regarding the issue of polygamy, Justice Ministry officials presented how to deal with the phenomenon and its negative consequences. During the discussion, they noted that today, according to a report published in 2014, only the third woman and above are reported by the authorities – the prime minister revoked this directive, and will now report every case of violation starting with the second woman. The Prime Minister also asked the Justice Ministry to submit a proposal within two weeks to address polygamy.
Another resolution that will be submitted for approval deals with the fight against polygamy, which is illegal in Israel, and was led by the Ministry of Justice headed by Minister Levin and Director General Donenfeld. The decision establishes a professional team to deal with incentives that encourage the phenomenon, first and foremost in terms of allowances and social security. In addition, the decision will add 14 dedicated law enforcement standards to the government's fight against polygamy.
Hundreds of police officers raid the Bedouin diaspora in the Negev // Credit: Police Spokesperson's Office
Prime Minister Netanyahu said, "We are convening the first meeting of the Ministerial Committee on Bedouin Society. We will also deal with settlement regulation, the integration of Bedouin society into the economy and all other areas of life in the State of Israel, as well as issues of governance – although the question of law and order enforcement, of course, is in the hands of the Ministry of National Security and the Ministry of Justice. We will deal with all these things, our intention is to change reality. It says, 'In the Negev, the people of Israel and their state will be tested' – if this is what they are tested on, then Ben-Gurion has not succeeded in creating the necessary change.
"We have changed many things in the Negev: mainly by bringing national infrastructures that serve all the residents of the Negev; And by moving factories and the private sector to the Negev, there is a great boom in the Negev. But there is a big problem in the Negev, we need the Bedouin to be part of this great success story, in all respects. That is the purpose of this meeting and the other meetings we will hold."
"Our intention is to change reality." Netanyahu, Photo: Amit Shabi
Minister for Social Equality Amichai Shikli said, "After intensive work, in cooperation with all ministries, the Regulation Authority and the Bedouin Authority in the Negev, we are bringing to the cabinet table a five-year national plan, the 'Zip Code' plan, whose purpose is to bring about regulation of Bedouin settlement in the Negev. The regulatory efforts will focus on the following areas: Rahat, which needs to move to an independent development track; Hura, which is an important urban focal point in the center of the Bedouin population that radiates over the entire region; northern Arad, natural and landscape areas that need to be evacuated from illegal construction clusters; And Bir Hadj, which was initially built on a patch, has become a crime hotspot and must change trend."
Regavim told Israel Hayom that "this is a historic and strategic decision that will restore governance and personal security to the residents of the Negev in particular and the State of Israel in general. The in-depth discussion that took place proves that the government ministers led by the prime minister succeed in transcending political interests and uniting for the future of the State of Israel."
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