tonight I saw a documentary called "Recognized" at the Jerusalem Cinematheque by director Ori Kleiner which shows some bedouins who live in the Negev desert & have been displaced by the Israeli government and who have had their homes demolished and property confiscated. I'm afraid I still don't really know why. the film mentioned the people were not counted as Israeli citizens, despite them and their ancestors being born in Israel and having lived in the region for longer than the State of Israel has existed. and also that in some cases the land has been claimed by the military and national parks.
it's a good film to see though as I wasn't aware this was happening. to be honest, some of what was mentioned reminded me of India and it's relocation of villages (though some people I've spoken to say this doesn't exist, despite me seeing video footage, photos and reports via the Sarai i-fellows of it occurring)
the film mentions support from Regional Council of the Unrecognized Villages in the Negev - http://www.idealist.org/en/org/160469-22 has some information
dukium.org has some info - time to read up on this..
links page on dukium.org : http://dukium.org/modules.php?name=RefLinks
some other work by the director Ori Kleiner can be found @ :
http://www.holyfly.com/POA/
http://www.wac.ucla.edu/extensionsjournal/v2/kleiner.htm
http://www.oznik.com/art/040613.html
the film blurb :
Recognized
A documentary film by Ori Kleiner
Israel/USA 2007
61min
Hebrew and Arabic w/English subtitles
Additional Camera: Natasha Dudinski
Original Music and Sound Editing: Grundik Kasyansky
"Bedouin usually appear in the Israeli collective consciousness as
either "ethnographic" or "demographic"issues. Their representation by
means of various objects—coffee, camels, tents, carpets—keeps most
Israelis from grasping Bedouin as subjects with wishes and wills,
frustrations and fears; as possessing not only a past, but also a
future. The film Recognized is made up of documentary moments that
trace the uprooted experiences of Nuri al-Ukbi, Salman Abu Jlidan, Eid
Al-Athamin, Ibrahim Abu Afash, and Samaher Abu Jlidan whom history has
cast in the roles of protagonists antagonized by a State that
established itself up on their ancestral lands. Recognized is not a
film about Bedouin, but about people forced into the role of
Bedouin—the only identity theState of Israel allows them, the very
identity it systematically denies them. Substandard citizenship,
coupled with daily existential obstacles posed by the State, are what
this film is about. Recognized was filmed entirely on
location in the Negev desert in the summer of 2006. " ]]>
tonight I saw a documentary called "Recognized" at the Jerusalem Cinematheque by director Ori Kleiner which shows some bedouins who live in the Negev desert & have been displaced by the Israeli government and who have had their homes demolished and property confiscated. I'm afraid I still don't really know why. the film mentioned the people were not counted as Israeli citizens, despite them and their ancestors being born in Israel and having lived in the region for longer than the State of Israel has existed. and also that in some cases the land has been claimed by the military and national parks.
it's a good film to see though as I wasn't aware this was happening. to be honest, some of what was mentioned reminded me of India and it's relocation of villages (though some people I've spoken to say this doesn't exist, despite me seeing video footage, photos and reports via the Sarai i-fellows of it occurring)
the film mentions support from Regional Council of the Unrecognized Villages in the Negev - http://www.idealist.org/en/org/160469-22 has some information
dukium.org has some info - time to read up on this..
links page on dukium.org : http://dukium.org/modules.php?name=RefLinks
some other work by the director Ori Kleiner can be found @ :
http://www.holyfly.com/POA/
http://www.wac.ucla.edu/extensionsjournal/v2/kleiner.htm
http://www.oznik.com/art/040613.html
the film blurb :
Recognized
A documentary film by Ori Kleiner
Israel/USA 2007
61min
Hebrew and Arabic w/English subtitles
Additional Camera: Natasha Dudinski
Original Music and Sound Editing: Grundik Kasyansky
"Bedouin usually appear in the Israeli collective consciousness as
either "ethnographic" or "demographic"issues. Their representation by
means of various objects—coffee, camels, tents, carpets—keeps most
Israelis from grasping Bedouin as subjects with wishes and wills,
frustrations and fears; as possessing not only a past, but also a
future. The film Recognized is made up of documentary moments that
trace the uprooted experiences of Nuri al-Ukbi, Salman Abu Jlidan, Eid
Al-Athamin, Ibrahim Abu Afash, and Samaher Abu Jlidan whom history has
cast in the roles of protagonists antagonized by a State that
established itself up on their ancestral lands. Recognized is not a
film about Bedouin, but about people forced into the role of
Bedouin—the only identity theState of Israel allows them, the very
identity it systematically denies them. Substandard citizenship,
coupled with daily existential obstacles posed by the State, are what
this film is about. Recognized was filmed entirely on
location in the Negev desert in the summer of 2006. "