Israeli forces demolish 2 homes in Negev town

Israeli forces demolished two Palestinian homes in a Negev village on Wednesday. Israeli police cordoned off a neighborhood in the town of Arara Ba-Negev, before bulldozers arrived and destroyed the al-Rahahleh's family home. Israeli forces then destroyed a home belonging to the al-Mahthi family. Taleb Abu Arar, a Bedouin Mk, said the demolitions prove that "we must escalate our struggle and make the Israeli government understand that the destruction is unacceptable." Last week, Israeli authorities demolished the Bedouin village of al-Araqib for the 54th time. Resident Aziz al-Turi said Israeli forces arrived carrying weapons and batons to intimidate villagers in Al-Araqib before bulldozers tore down all the homes in the Negev village. Israeli authorities also bulldozed homes and buildings on Thursday in the Negev village of Abu Qreinat, resident Maher Abu Qreinat told Ma'an. The Israeli government in January approved the Prawer-Begin Bill, calling for the relocation of 30,000 - 40,000 Bedouin, the demolition of about 40 villages and the confiscation of more than 700,000 dunums of land in the Negev.