Banished Identity: Israel's Systematic Destruction of Palestinian Bedouins

In Deceember 2010, the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees (UNRWA) declared Bedouins to be an “endangered” ethnic group. This study examines Israel’s policies in “Area C” of the West Bank that distinctly affect Bedouin communities on a social and economic level, severely thwarting their ability to maintain their livelihood, culture, customs, and traditional way of life. First, we examine how Israeli policies towards the Bedouin communities in “Area C” violate longstanding principles of international humanitarian and human rights law, particularly those provisions asserting the rights of indigenous peoples in maintaining their traditional way of life and the standards other parties must adhere to in respect of indigenous populations. Next, we offer a case-in-point of the Khan al-Ahmar Bedouin community, which is an area particularly targeted by aggressive Israeli policies due to its location in the coveted Jordan Valley. Finally, we discuss JLAC’s legal interventions on behalf of Bedouin communities and propose a number of recommendations to address the urgent needs of these communities.

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