Israeli Court Hears Plea for Closed Military Zone to Protect Bedouin Village
Translated & summarized from Davar by baba
Residents of the Bedouin village of Ras al-Ain in the Jordan Valley petitioned Israel's Supreme Court to declare their area a closed military zone and provide permanent IDF protection. The villagers fled due to harassment from Israeli settlers and seek safety before returning. The IDF opposes the request, while the court is considering the petition, which highlights ongoing tensions and displacement in the region.
The story in 5 lines · by baba
- Bedouin villagers petitioned Israel's Supreme Court for a closed military zone due to settler harassment.
- The IDF opposes the request for a closed military zone and permanent protection.
- 110 families have fled the village and seek guaranteed safety before returning.
- The court is considering the petition, with a decision to be sent to the parties.
- Activists claim the military enables displacement and avoids responsibility in the area.
The Supreme Court heard a petition from residents of the Bedouin village of Ras al-Ain in the Jordan Valley, who are seeking to have their area declared a closed military zone and to receive permanent protection from the IDF. The villagers fled their homes in recent years due to harassment and violence from Israeli settlers and wish to return, but only if their safety is guaranteed. The IDF opposes the request.
The state had previously rejected a proposal for the villagers to hire a private security firm. The court's panel includes Supreme Court President Yitzhak Amit and Justices Daphna Barak-Erez and Yechiel Kasher.
Attorney Shlomo Laker, representing the villagers, described their dire situation, with 110 families displaced and having sold their livestock. He argued for equal protection, similar to nearby Israeli settlements, requesting a fence and a small military unit for security. He noted that settlers have established dozens of farms in the area, and residents reported stone-throwing incidents before their displacement.
Representing the security forces, attorney Tzion Moses stated that the Central Command is open to facilitating the residents' return, but the method is discretionary. He countered Laker's claim of limited military presence, stating the plan involves at least eight hours of escort and that a decision on the closed military zone status would be made in real-time. Moses also questioned the lack of formal police complaints from the residents, while acknowledging their subjective feeling of being threatened.
Justice Barak-Erez pressed Moses on the potential harm of not declaring the area a closed zone, given the significant risk to civilians. Attorney Reut Shaar, representing the Association for Civil Rights, argued that the military is enabling displacement and avoiding responsibility.
Ras al-Ain was the largest Bedouin village in the Jordan Valley, located in Area C. Israeli activists claim that many residents left over the past year due to harassment, including power outages, threats, and theft from nearby outposts. The court announced that a decision would be sent to the parties.