livestock. We have entered into a spiralling debt system and are more and more dependent on
humanitarian assistance. But humanitarian actors are also restricted by Area C regulations and
any assistance is issued on an emergency basis, with no long term strategy. The herding
livelihood in Areas A and B where the Israeli restrictions do not apply is still sustainable today.
Settlers violence physical and psychological
There are 500,000 illegal settlers in the West Bank. Where we live with our livestock in isolated
areas the counts of violence and harassment against us by settlers go un-witnessed and largely
unpunished. If you live in fear for the safety of your family you do not think about investing in your
future. Your economic life becomes day by day. When your existence in a place is threatened by
danger and violence and your children are afraid and you no longer have access to natural
resources to sustain your livestock, you move into survival mode and nothing in that state is
sustainable.
Demolition, Forced Displacement and Forced Re-location:
In Area C we live not only in fear of settler violence and poverty due to our collapsing
livelihoods; we also live in fear of demolition, forced displacement and forced re-location.
Here the Occupying Power has created an intricate permit system for building houses. If you do
not get a permit you cannot build a house, or any structure. The permit system is expensive,
lengthy and usually inconclusive so we cannot get permits, even for toilets, but at the same time
our population is increasing and our children need to marry, and build their own homes. If this
home is a tent or a palace built without a permit in Area C, it can be demolished. If it is a school
or a health centre made of wood and corrugated iron to try to improve our children's health and
education, it can be demolished. There are over 3000 structures that currently have pending
demolition orders in Area C, including schools and health facilities.
Because of the rules on building in Area C our homes are not permanent structures. We still live in
tents and metal shacks without running water or electricity, even though our seasonal migration is
now no longer possible. There is a misconception about Bedouin sometimes — people think they do
not want to settle. This is not true. Bedouin have always been only semi-nomadic, and have a
strong concept of home and connection to land. But here in the occupied West. Bank we are
forbidden from building and from building a sustainable future for our families —which is the basis
for establishing, developing and enjoying a dignified economic life.
The Occupying Power has verbally offered to re-locate us in 'purpose-built' villages. But the
locations they suggest could not sustain even our animals; they are isolated and have no access to
natural resources or basic services. They say they will make different tribes live side by side in
these villages and that the time for tribal identity is gone. This is not the Bedouin way of life. First
they demolish our homes and displace us, and then they say they will force us to settle without any
understanding of our livelihoods, our needs or our culture,
We re que st, through this Forum:
To have ade quate acce ss to our ce ntre of life (East Je rusale m) and to natural
re source s (range land and wate r),in orde r to allow us to de ve lop an e conomic
life within the re spe ct of our culture , traditions and ide ntity.
That the Israe li authoritie s take le gal action against the pe rpe trators of