The Negev Bedouin as a de-legitimization tool

ABSTRACT

This article explores the evolution of Bedouin international advocacy and discourse within UN human rights bodies, starting with the first in 1998 to present. It demonstrates that during the last two decades, Bedouin international advocacy in UN bodies was carried out by various NGOs with differing agendas. The discourse on Bedouin issues was co-opted by national and foreign NGOs, some of which possessed clear anti-Israeli views. Parallel to the increasing volume of Bedouin international involvement, their issues became an asset in the overall efforts to de-legitimise Israel. The Bedouin’s harsh living conditions and ongoing land conflict with the state assisted in portraying Israel as an apartheid state.

KEYWORDS:

• Human rights
• Bedouin
• Israel
• de-legitimisation
• indigenous population
• Palestinians
• international advocacy
• BDS
• Adalah

Disclosure statement

The author was the Deputy District Attorney (Civil Matters), Southern District, in the Ministry of Justice, Israel until 2014.

Notes

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2. Adalah statement was not accurate. CERD did not use the terms “apartheid”, CERD, CO, January 27, 2020. CERD/C/ISR/CO/17-19.

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4. The topic was dealt in NGO Monitor report, “NGOs and the Negev Bedouin Issue in the Context of Political Warfare”, November 6, 2013. https://www.ngo-monitor.org/reports/ngos_and_the_negev_bedouin_issue_in_the_context_of_political_warfare/. (accessed July 17, 2020).

5. Dennis Ross, “Antisemitism and Delegitimization,” http://jppi.org.il/en/article/de-legitimisation/toc/overview/#.X7zDoGgzY2w (accessed July 17, 2020).

6. Ibid.

7. Steinberg, “The Politics of NGOs,” 24-54.

8. Sharvit-Baruch and Aviram, “Delegitimization of Israel,” 456-57.

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Additional information

Notes on contributors

Havatzelet Yahel

Havatzelet Yahel is a Lecturer at the Ben-Gurion Institute for the Study of Israel and Zionism, Ben-Gurion University of the Negev, Israel.