The new government coalition agreement poses serious and real dangers to the Bedouin residents of the Negev. A range of predatory measures within the framework of those agreements could increase tensions between the residents and state institutions.

With this situation in mind, Shatil convened a widely-attended meeting, in which organizations working to promote the rights of Negev residents took part, primarily the right to recognition for the unrecognized Bedouin villages. The aim of the meeting was to form an action plan to deal with these challenges.

NIF and Shatil will continue to support organizations working together with the Negev Bedouin to promote the fight for equal rights and opportunities, and strive to secure recognition of the unrecognized villages, and public campaigns to fight the delegitimization of the Bedouin population, while helping to organize the Negev residents under unified leadership.

The Negev region is home to nearly 300,000 Bedouin, about half of whom live in unrecognized villages.