On the seventh day of October, Hamas attacked Israel, causing huge casualties on the Israeli side. Among the numerous victims on the Israeli side, four were Bedouin soldiers. A video appeared on social media in which Ashraf, a Bedouin commander, is thanked for his effective defense against Hamas fighters.
Let’s get to know the Bedouin Arabs better.
Who are the Bedouin Arabs?
The Bedouins are a form of nomadic Muslim Arab community living in southern Israel in the Negev desert. Traditionally, the community was a pastoral community. Previously, they did not have a strong national identity, and until 150 years ago they wandered between Sinai and Saudi Arabia.
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Bedouins and the Israel Defense Forces – What’s the Connection?
The Bedouin started to move from being wanderers only in the last decades of the Ottoman rule. In the past, Jewish settlers employed Bedouins in jobs such as guarding their communities in Palestine. This was before the creation of Israel.
During the Arab-Israeli War of 1948 and 1949, Bedouins proved useful to the Israel Defense Forces and Jewish militias as they provided intelligence. Some of the Bedouins also fought in the war with the Arab army.
In the decade of the 1950s, the Bedouins were recognized as citizens of Israel. This move by Israel helped the community to get settlements in the Negev. The Bedouin continued to be helpful to the IDF. Many Bedouins assisted the IDF in tasks such as tracking units.
In 1970, the Southern Command of the IDF fielded a special Bedouin reconnaissance unit. Similarly, in 1986, a desert reconnaissance unit was also established near the Gaza Strip.
In 1993, Israel inaugurated a monument to Bedouin warriors on top of a hill in the Galilee. The monument was opened to honor the 154 Bedouin soldiers who died while serving their country. In addition, the Garden of the Broken Heart is specifically dedicated to Bedouin soldiers whose burial grounds are unknown.
In 2003, the IDF formed specialized search and rescue units composed mostly of Bedouin for the needs of the border areas.
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Bedouin and Israeli society
Since the 1950s, the Bedouins have happily coexisted with Arab and Jewish communities in the north. In fact, most of the Bedouin soldiers come from the north of Israel.
Currently, more than 210,000 Bedouins live in several areas of the country. Most of them live in the Negev desert.
Ishmael Khaldi, the first Bedouin ambassador, was appointed by the Israeli Ministry of Foreign Affairs in 2020. Not to be missed, Sadel Technologies also epitomizes the connection between Israel and the Bedouin, as it is the first Bedouin high-tech company in Israel. Ibrahim Sana, a Bedouin, co-founded the company.
In 2022, Operation Negev Shield was also launched by the Israeli government. The operation aimed to help Bedouin communities integrate into society through educational programs to keep the young population away from crime. Every week, IDF officers visit schools in several Bedouin communities to educate the children.
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Source: HIS Education