Abu Qwaider’s village, az-Zarnūg is one of at least 35 unrecognized villages in the Negev, Sarab Abu-Rabia-Queder, a prominent sociologist who is also Bedouin and whose husband is from az-Zarnūg, told NBC News in a phone interview Sunday.
And in the midst of the Israel-Hamas war, Abu Qwaider said dozens of homes in the village, including two of his brothers’ homes, have been demolished by Israeli officials so far this year, the latest in what they see as unfair or unjust treatment of Bedouin. His brother was recently released from prison; he was accused of spying for Hamas and involvement in a possible plan for an attack, allegations his family strongly denies.
Bedouin families in unrecognized villages also face a lack of access to basic public services to varying degrees, like electricity. Families rely on solar panels and the odd generator for power, making the bitter chill of winter and scorching heat of summer difficult to bear. They aren’t consistently provided with bomb shelters, which are dotted across much of the rest of Israel. After Hamas’ Oct. 7 attacks — in which Bedouin were among the 1,200 killed and more than 250 taken hostage into Gaza — the Bedouin of az-Zarnūg had a shelter constructed in their community by a nonprofit group.
In addition to barriers enforced by Israeli officials, the Bedouin have faced scrutiny and criticism from members of the Palestinian community due to the willing participation of some in the Israeli military and border police.
Military service is not mandatory for members of Bedouin tribes, but as of February, more than 1,500 Bedouin were serving in the Israel Defense Forces, according to reporting from Israeli newspaper The Jerusalem Post. The IDF told NBC News it was not able to provide data on how many Bedouin are currently actively serving….
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