The Israeli occupation authorities distributed dozens of demolition orders on Sunday in the Arab village of Um Namila in the Negev, Arab48.com has reported. The security forces which stormed the village told the residents to evacuate 15 acres of residential and agriculture land, which are scheduled to be recognised as part of the city of Rahat.

The Palestinian residents described this as “provocative” as they have been fighting for years to get official recognition of their village, a move which has infuriated the Israeli authorities, including the Ministry of Agriculture. That is why, they say, the Israeli authorities have resumed their witch hunt against the village along with others in the north of the Negev. They pointed out that Israeli occupation forces stormed the villages and attacked the residents several times last year.

“The Israelis are trying to undermine the application for official recognition of Um Namila,” Mir’e Zayadneh, an Arab resident of Um Namila, told Arab48. “At the very least they want to confiscate as much land as possible before such recognition.”

He stressed that the residents of these villages would continue fighting for their rights and would never surrender to Israeli aggression.

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