Israeli forces have demolished homes and tents of the Palestinian Bedouin village of al-Araqib for the 189th time, making dozens of its residents homeless.
The Palestinian Information Center, citing local sources, reported on Monday that Israeli troops raided the village in the Negev region with bulldozers and destroyed every single Palestinian house.
Dozens of its inhabitants, including children and elderly people, have become displaced and should suffer from the harsh weather of the desert for a while before they could build new makeshift homes.
The residents of Araqib village live in a constant state of fear due to the fact that Israeli troops may raid and raze their homes at any moment after they manage to build them again.
However, Israel's criminal policy of forced displacement of Palestinians has strengthened the residents’ resolve to rebuild their villages even if Israel demolishes them a thousand times.
Al-Araqib is one of the 35 Bedouin villages considered “unrecognized” by Israel. The areas are denied access to the national water and electricity grids, lack basic infrastructure, and receive no health and educational services.
The village, with about 220 residents, was first demolished in 2010, but has since then been rebuilt multiple times by its residents and activists.
Israeli authorities have been carrying out forced evacuations against Bedouins since 1949.
The demolition of Bedouin homes is part of the regime’s massive land-grab policy, which will forcefully displace thousands of people.
Tel Aviv has so far refused to recognize the rights of Palestinian Bedouins and denies them access to basic services.
Rights groups accuse Tel Aviv of pursuing a policy of transferring the indigenous Palestinian population from the Negev region to other areas in a bid to make room for the expansion of illegal settlements.
More than 600,000 Israelis live in over 230 settlements built since the 1967 Israeli occupation of Palestinian territories of the West Bank and East Jerusalem al-Quds.
All Israeli settlements are illegal under international law as they are built on occupied land. The UN Security Council has condemned Israel’s settlement activities in the occupied territories in several resolutions.