US embassy cable - 05TELAVIV4264

C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 02 TEL AVIV 004264 
 
SIPDIS 
 
E.O. 12958: DECL: 07/08/2015 
TAGS: ECON, PGOV, PREL, IS, ISRAELI SOCIETY, ECONOMY AND FINANCE 
SUBJECT: ISRAELI PROFESSOR HOPES GOI DEVELOPMENT PLANS WILL 
HELP BEDOUIN 
 
Classified By: Deputy Chief of Mission Gene A. Cretz for reasons 1.4 (b 
) and (d). 
 
1. (C) SUMMARY:  A Ben Gurion University professor working 
closely with the Bedouin community in the Negev discussed the 
GOI development initiative for the Negev, still a concern for 
the Bedouin.  The professor said he is putting together a 
plan which will bring the GOI and the Bedouin leadership 
together to collectively address the GOI economic initiative 
for the Negev.  This will ensure that Bedouin concerns are 
addressed as the GOI moves ahead to develop the Negev, the 
BGU professor said.  He also talked about his recent visit to 
the U.S. which allowed him to raise money for Bedouin youth 
development.  Several philanthropists donated USD 50,000 to 
bring together youth from several Bedouin villages for summer 
activities to create the venues for Bedouin youth to learn 
about coexistence, community activism and leadership.  END 
SUMMARY. 
 
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Preparing for Further Development of the Negev 
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2. (C) Econoff met with Dr. Thabet Abu Ras, a professor at 
the Ben Gurion University in the Negev July 1.  Abu Ras told 
Econoff that the GOI plan to develop the Negev remains a 
concern for the Bedouin.  He said he hopes that the GOI does 
not ignore this minority group as it plans for Negev 
development.  Abu Ras is planning to survey the Bedouin 
community regarding the GOI's Negev economic initiative. 
This survey will provide the Bedouin leadership with a tool 
for assessing community needs, he said, and will be used to 
formulate an agenda for discussion with GOI officials. 
Israeli officials charged with handling Negev projects can 
then work with the Bedouin leadership to ensure that the 
Bedouin are not left behind, said Abu Ras. 
 
3. (C) Abu Ras said his survey package will focus on 
assessing the major needs of the Bedouin community, such as 
identifying alternative settlement areas with more space -- 
very important to the Bedouin.  He said basic services and 
infrastructure needs, such as sewage, water, electricity and 
also roads will be covered in the survey.  Abu Ras said 
Bedouin recognized and unrecognized villages alike have 
inadequate services and infrastructure and "these are the 
current problems" facing the Bedouin.  Existing recognized 
villages are like "dormitories," he said, offer very little 
to the Bedouin, and clash with their traditional lifestyle. 
 
4. (C) After he submits the survey results to the Bedouin 
leadership, Abu Ras said, he will put together a plan with 
them to address socio-political issues of concern to the 
Bedouin by bringing to light questions of land settlement, 
land ownership, education, employment, civil rights, and 
citizenship.  Abu Ras told Econoff that the Bedouin want the 
GOI to respect them and "treat them as equals."  Demolition 
of homes, uprooting of crops and empty promises, he said, 
only escalate the already tense relationship between the GOI 
and the Bedouin. 
 
5. (C) The GOI views the issue of demography as a major 
problem because of the ever increasing population of the 
Bedouin, asserted Abu Ras.  There are those in the Bedouin 
community, he said, who actively engage in marrying more then 
one partner and having many children, to "spite" the GOI in 
its efforts to address Bedouin population growth.  This 
"spite" he says motivates the Bedouin to actively increase 
their numbers, noting that to the Bedouin the GOI only seems 
concerned with the needs of the Negev's Jewish residents and 
not the Bedouin residents. 
 
6. (C) In a related development, several hundred Bedouin from 
the Negev demonstrated July 7 to reportedly protest the GOI's 
distribution of 160 demolition orders of houses in the 
unrecognized village of Be'er Al-mashash in the Negev. 
 
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U.S. Jewish Communities Fund Summer Camp for Bedouin Youth 
--------------------------------------------- ------------- 
 
7. (C) Abu Ras shifted the discussion to his recent trip to 
the United States, during which he raised 50,000 USD for the 
Bedouin community in the Negev.  He said these funds, which 
were donated by Jewish communities in the U.S., will help pay 
for a summer camp for 1,500 Bedouin youth from seven 
different schools in the Beer Sheva region.  The camp will 
provide Bedouin youth the opportunity to attend recreational 
classes and participate in outdoor activities.  The camp will 
also help Bedouin youth channel their energy, the professor 
commented. 
 
8. (C) Abu Ras said the camp will focus on team building 
exercises and other classroom activities which will help 
increase their community awareness.  He said trips to Tel 
Aviv and other parts of the country will be in the 
curriculum, providing Bedouin youth lessons in coexistence. 
The Israeli NGO Shatil was instrumental in helping to raise 
the U.S. funding, said Abu Ras.  He said his counterparts in 
the U.S. have promised more assistance in the future. 
 
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