<?xml version="1.0" encoding="UTF-8" standalone="yes"?><oembed><version><![CDATA[1.0]]></version><provider_name><![CDATA[Occupied Palestine | فلسطين]]></provider_name><provider_url><![CDATA[https://occupiedpalestine.wordpress.com]]></provider_url><author_name><![CDATA[occupiedpalestine]]></author_name><author_url><![CDATA[https://occupiedpalestine.wordpress.com/author/hajarhajar/]]></author_url><title><![CDATA[Dozens Injured as al-Araqib Village Destroyed for Ninth Time, Including Knesset Minister’s&nbsp;Office]]></title><type><![CDATA[link]]></type><html><![CDATA[<p>PNN &#8211; Palestine News Network &#8211; 16.01.11 &#8211; 14:41</p>
<p>Negev – PNN &#8211; On Sunday, eyewitnesses in the southern Israeli  Bedouin village of al-Araqib reported violent clashes between village  residents and Israeli police, including live fire, during the ninth  recorded demolition of the village.</p>
<div class="mosimage" style="float:right;width:500px;border-width:2px;"><img title="Image" src="https://i2.wp.com/english.pnn.ps/images/stories/2008/Araqibvillage.jpg" border="0" alt="Image" hspace="6" width="314" height="235" /></p>
<div class="mosimage_caption" style="text-align:center;">A scene from a previous demolition (PNN Archive).</div>
</div>
<p>At  least five children between the ages of 16 and 17 were injured by  rubber bullets, according to a report from the Beit Sahour-based  Alternative Information Center.</p>
<p>Israeli authorities ruled that the  village’s homes had been built without proper licensing—as they have  ruled in eight prior incidents—and proceeded to demolish it. An Israeli  Interior Ministry office belonging to MK Talab al-Sana, which opened a  month ago, was also destroyed.</p>
<p>Al-Sana arrived in the middle of  the clashes on Sunday. He later said, “This is a heinous crime carried  out by Israeli organizations to seize land and people and prevent Arabs  from living in the Negev.” He decried the demolition of homes in winter,  in “the cold and difficult conditions.”</p>
<p>Sheikh Sayah Abu  Mudaygham of al-Araqib said, “The people will not leave the land even if  they are put under these conditions, injured, or captured. We will live  on our land because we have our rights—we turned it into a legal issue  but the Israeli authorities don’t respect the courts. Now we are  appealing to all organizations and the public to stand on our side.”</p>
<p>More  than 155,000 Bedouins live in the Negev Desert in southern Israel, more  than half of them in unrecognized villages. Al-Araqib, which was  originally comprised of about 45 small structures, was first destroyed  on July 27, 2010, then again on August 4, August 10, August 17,  September 13, October 13, November 22, and December 23, and Sunday,  January 16. Vehicles have been confiscated by Israeli authorities as  well and villagers were not allowed to save personal effects.</p>
<p>Unlike  after previous demolitions, the Alternative Information Center reported  on Sunday that Israeli bulldozers were clearing away the debris from  the demolition in an effort to hamper rebuilding.</p>
<p><a href="http://english.pnn.ps/index.php?option=com_content&amp;task=view&amp;id=9407&amp;Itemid=56">PNN &#8211; Palestine News Network &#8211; Dozens Injured as al-Araqib Village Destroyed for Ninth Time, Including Knesset Minister’s Office</a>.</p>
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