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Beershba

1 Stories - 7 Images - 1 Contributors
Israel is a small country, just 24,000 sq. km in size. Nearly all of Israel is dryland and within its borders all four of the world's distinctive dryland types: hyper-arid, arid, semi-arid and dry sub humid are present, according to the UN Convention for Combating Desertification (UNCCD). The Negev region occupies nearly two-third of Israel's land area. Until recently, the process of desertification was not visible in Negev due to large-scale forestation programs, restrictions imposed on grazing and large water subsidies from the less arid part of the country to its more arid part. Yet, there are many indications that the process of desertification in the Negev has already started and is accelerating. Why now, who is responsible, what areas will be affected, where is this process cutting to the bone already? This article doesn't intend to answer these questions but raise them as a manifestation of concern. It is the voice of the sand whispering in the trade winds of the approaching rebellion of nature against the modern society which disregard unscrupulous the heritage and traditions of Bedouins in Negev. It is evident today that Bedouins intuitively knew how to maintain a balanced ecosystem and live a prosper life at the same time, regardless of the harsh climate of the desert. This balance proved durability through many generations until recently when the state of Israel took charge over all the territories of old Palestine. Today exist a huge gap between the policies for sustainability and proactive planning and their implementation in practice. The national program includes measures to prevent soil erosion in the irrigated croplands, increase use of treated wastewater for dryland agriculture, promotion of alternative livelihoods to desert residents through ecotourism, aquaculture, sustainable and environmentally friendly industries and calls upon universities and research institutions in the country to redirect research efforts toward combating desertification. The international commitment is also strong. Since the session in Nairobi, Israel has taken part in every meeting of the Intergovernmental Negotiating Committee on Desertification (INCD), taking part in the first meeting of Asian countries in Bangkok, chaired the committee that drafted the Implementation Annex for Asia, took part in the governmental and non-govern mental meetings of the Asian African forum and participated in the New Delhi meeting to combat desertification in Asia. In April, 1997, under UN auspices, Israel hosted a three-day meeting on synergies between the Rio de Janeiro Conventions on Biodiversity, Climate Change, Combating Desertification and the non-legally binding Forest Principles. The meeting took place at Ben-Gurion University's Jacob Blaustein Institute for Desert Research where 40 scientists, decision makers and legal specialists from around the world gathered to recommend measures for implementing the Conventions. Yet, despite all these efforts and positive intensions to combat desertification on national and international levels, the N.I.M.B.Y. is marked by a big questioning mark (?). A small retrospective into history reveals that nomad Bedouin tribes that dominated the Sinai desert for centuries stabilized 150 years ago in Palestine, mainly in Negev desert. Their primary economy was based on pasturing and trade. Following the establishment of the State of Israel, authority's long term strategy regarding Bedouins economic activities was to implement a lessening of the relative significance of flocks on one hand and restrict the areas for grazing on the other. While in the past, Bedouins had pastured traditionally their flocks over large areas unrestricted, after 1977 they were limited to some small areas in the Negev desert. Today 92% of the Negev zone is defined as closed military training zones. 4% are occupied by Israeli settlements such as towns, kibbutzim, moshavim. This imposed government system of land use, ignores the Bedouin's traditional seasonal migration as a sustainable livelihood response to the environment. The implementation of these two decisions was carried out with brutality by the authorities' strong-arm executive the 'Green Patrol' agency established in 1976, forcing sheep-breeders to adapt themselves to the new political and economic conditions. Consequently, there arose major negative results such as damage, theft, partnerships between Bedouin and Jews for illegal purposes, and the settlement by some Bedouin outside the Negev. Yet another negative upshot of this policy, less visible on short terms, is overgrazing, a major factor leading to desertification. These phenomenon spreading alarmingly during the last 3 decades over more than 1/3 of total global land was until recently less prominent in Israel. It is evident and widely accepted in the scientific community today, that desertification process when occurring on the fringe of deserts, cause them to advance, dramatically affecting the life of those who have no choice but to live in these areas. Desertification has environmental impacts that go beyond the areas directly affected. For instance, loss of vegetation can increase the formation of large dust clouds that can cause health problems in more densely populated areas, thousands of kilometers away. Moreover, the social and political impacts of desertification also reach non-dryland areas. For example, human migrations from drylands to cities and other countries can harm political and economic stability. One sign of desertification knocking on our doors is the sandstorm. A sandstorm often occurs in and mainly affects arid and semi-arid areas endangered by desertification. These areas are the most sensitive to global climate change and exert a negative effect on it. Sandstorms often take place in inland desert areas. In arid and barren areas, large stretches of desertified land and sandy land provide rich sources for sandstorms. Also, human activities play an important role in the formation of severe sandstorms. Two factors are responsible one is the improper use of land, the other is population growth and the rapid spread of urbanization, which increases pressure on productive land. Both factors are present in Negev and imposed on the Bedouin community as a result of local government use of land, management of natural resources and disrespect for the Bedouin minority. The results of sandstorms are devastating for human health, agriculture, air pollution, soil erosion and many more aspects. Plans were made for a National Program for Combating Desertification and Achieving Sustainable Development on one hand; in contrast they are implemented superficially due to lack of budgets and no real interest of politicians to budget funds to remote peripheral zones politically speaking. To finalize this dispute, despite international efforts to combat desertification which are greatly appreciated, locally in Negev the 'shoemaker is walking bare foot'. This intolerable paradox is unacceptable. Modernization and traditionalism must join forces equally to oppress the continuous backsliding of the desertification process which is knocking our doors. A change in concept must occur soon, before it is too late.

Environment

Oppression of Bedouin traditions is causing desertification in Negev

The pictures reflect 4 stages of degradation of land in the Negev. 1. Man cultivated land and later used for grazing. 2. Valley after runoff being...

by Paul Palatnic in Israel on 21/04/2009

21/04/2009 - Oppression of Bedouin traditions is causing desertification in Negev - Israel - The pictures reflect 4 stages of...

Latest News

Oppression of Bedouin traditions is causing desertification in Negev

Environment

Oppression of Bedouin traditions is causing desertifica...

The pictures reflect 4 stages of degradation of land in the Negev. 1. Man cultivated land and later used for grazing. 2. Valley after runoff being depleted totally by goats and sheep. 3...
by Paul Palatnic, on 21st of April 2009

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