Israeli authorities demolished three homes in Umm Numaila and additional structures in Abu Quraynat, two unrecognized villages near Rahat in the Negev.
The Monday demolitions occurred amid an escalation in the destruction of homes and structures within Arab villages in the Negev for building without permits, according to the Palestine News Agency.
On Sunday, a family in Abu Quraynat self-demolished their residence and burned the remaining structure to avoid steep financial penalties. Had an Israeli bulldozer carried out the demolition, fines could have reached 60,000 shekels, roughly $19,430, the report added.
About 300,000 Arab citizens from the Bedouin community live in the Negev, an arid region south of Israel. The Israeli government identifies approximately 40 villages in the Negev as “unrecognized,” claiming that about 55,000 Bedouins cannot prove land ownership. Residents face significant challenges due to limited access to electricity, water, transportation, and public services. Arab citizens number approximately 1.6 million in Israel, representing about 20 percent of the population.
