Grassroots Mobilization Leads to Safe Crossings

8 December 2016

Thanks to the grassroots campaign by NIF partner Zazim, 6,000 Bedouin residents – including hundreds of kids – will soon have access to a safe pedestrian crossing.

A newly constructed superhighway completely cut off al-Krin and al-Ukbi, two unrecognized Negev Bedouin villages. Six thousand residents couldn’t reach their doctor or school without risking a deadly highway crossing.

Last month, Zazim launched a call to action. Israelis sent thousands of emails and made dozens of phone calls demanding a safe crosswalk. Following the public outcry, the CEO of Netivei Israel, the national infrastructure company responsible for the highway, went to see the problem for himself. After his visit, he accepted Zazim’s demands in full and agreed to construct a safe pedestrian crossing.

Following the announcement, Zazim put out a statement saying, “Together, we made a real difference in the lives of thousands of people and publicly echoed the voice of some of the most silenced communities in Israel. Victories like these drive us forward…the power we have when we act together never ceases to amaze us.”