I've got two hours before going back to Wadi El Naam, one of the 45 unrecognized Bedouin villages in the Negev, the desert southern part of Israel. An unrecognized village is a strange and inspiring concept. There are thousands of people living there, even before the state of Israel was recognized by the world. They have families, houses, animals, even little shops. Whole lives.
So why isn't it recognized or by whom? does the state of not being recognized places enough pressure on the inhabitants to give up on their traditional way of life, in nature, living from agriculture and raising live stock, and to agree to the uncompromising one solution given by the state of Israel (of whom they are all citizens) to move to a built town, leaving behind their land, camels, sheep, goats, horses, chickens.. leaving behind their spirit, the whole essence of a Bedouin culture?
or maybe a better question is why? why does the state of Israel insists on denying them basic rights like electricity, municipal services, access roads, health facilities and their name on the map.
In other words - recognition.
Why can I, a Jewish citizen, receive thousands of dunams in the Negev, just to be there, raising a few sheep or just tomatoes, just like our P.M., Arik Sharon, who has 5,000 dunams of agriculture land in his private ranch, just for his family, while more than 75,000 Bedouin citizens are being systematically denied of staying on their land, willing to compromise for 10 dunams per family, just to continue doing what they know best - being farmers.
Does the name "turning the Negev Jewish" shed enough light on the deliberate and blunt discrimination here?

this week I'm helping and documenting an action launched by some activist organization, building a medical clinic in Wadi El Naam. This week most Israelis are celebrating Pesach (Passover), and tell their children of the miracles done by God to take them out of Egypt and giving them the land of Israel. "From slavery to freedom".
I wonder (again). is this freedom infinitive? does this so called freedom legitimates denying freedom from others less fortunate?