Nuri El-Okbi has long been a loner. As member of a Bedouin tribe deprived of their lands in 1951 he initially tried to adjust himself, and opened a garage in Lod in order to survive within the rules of game set by the new rulers of the land. But he always cared for the fate of fellow Bedouins, many of whom lived in so-called "unrecognized villages", denied such basic services as water and electricity. So he founded "The Association for Support and Defense of Bedouin rights in Israel." For decades it was mainly Nuri el-Okbi who represented the Bedouin question towards the Israeli Jewish Left.
By now, there are more organizations that took it up. There is a Regional Council of Unrecognized Villages; and Dukium baNegev (Coexistence in the Negev) mobilizing the joint struggle of Jews and Arabs against injustice in the region. The "Recognition Forum" was formed, coordinating from the center of the country solidarity with the Negev Bedouins.
Three years ago Nuri decided something more was needed. A very modest proposal that he had suggested had been rejected out of hand by the state. He had asked no more than letting his tribespeople build their community on at least a parcel of their original lands, as not all was yet designated by the state for the building of "Jews only" communities. It was as if the rejection made him understand that in order to achieve something, it isn't enough to be open to compromise. It's also needed to prove one's determination.
He embarked on a huge project: moving into a simple tent, set up as close to the original El-Arkeeb as he could come -- and staying on there day and night, summer and winter, with tremendous determination, indeed. During those three years there has hardly been a week that we didn't hear of Nuri's tent again being destroyed or confiscated -- and his coming back immediately. Sympathizers from time to time made the trip into the desert northeast of Be'ersheba, for a solidarity visit. Still, for much of the time Nuri waged his long and indomitable struggle alone.
April 18 -- 3rd anniversary of Nuri's protest tent -- was marked by a strong act of solidarity and support. Several large tents were erected, enough to hold hundreds of people coming for a day-long seminar: Bedouins from different backgrounds including relatives who are impressed with Nuri and became more politically active, Jewish inhabitants of Negev towns who care for their neighbors, activists from all over the country and some from abroad.
Days in advance, the police heard about it (there was no effort at secrecy -- on the contrary) and duly notified Nuri and other organizers that the plan was "manifestly illegal" and constituted "encroaching on state-owned land" (in Israeli law there is no such thing as Bedouin land ownership -- they are all considered "squatters").
Throughout the day the plight of the Negev Bedouins was discussed, both through the first hand testimonies of Nuri himself and others, and through more academic analysis from the historical and sociological angles -- as well as a comparative discussion of what indigenous groups in similar situations achieved through struggle in such countries as Canada and New Zealand. This was followed by concrete discussion on how to creatively confront the government, mobilize more support among Israeli Jews and forge a united grassroots action in the Bedouin community itself.
But, what made the day, was the presence of many Bedouins -- men and women, old and children -- who engaged in such acts as music, painting and drawing, bilingual writing, juggling and magic, and a ball games championship. In between discussion, participants were invited to an easy hike in the wadi (dry riverbed) and around the village lands.
Tasty bread was baked on the spot by traditional methods and offered to the guests as part of Bedouin hospitality. For one day, the spot had some semblance to a living Bedouin community, such as Nuri dreams it would one day become in reality.
However, most of the people could not stay more than a few hours, and confiscation of the big tents and other expensive gear erected for the day could not be risked. So, it was all dismantled leaving only Nuri's own personal tent.
In the following weeks the assaults on Nuri intensified, with the Jewish National Fund ("Keren Kayemet") conducting more and more intensive work on the ground so as to assert the claim to have "inherited" the confiscated el-Arkeeb lands. Several times stepping in front of bulldozers and momentarily halting their work, Nuri el-Okbi was repeatedly assaulted by the goons of a hired "private security company." In the past weeks, Nuri was twice hospitalized -- only to return within a few hours and resume the confrontation.
A video film showing Nuri Al Okbi's one-man struggle with the bulldozers was placed on YouTube. On May 14, dozens of activists picketed the Jewish National Fund Jerusalem headquarters, with signs reading: "Hands off Nuri al-Okbi -- Hands off the Bedouin lands!"
Contact: Nuri El Okbi phone: +972-54-5465556
Recognition Forum manor12@zahav.net.il
Negev Coexistence Forum www.dukium.org
