Ar'arat an-Naqab

Ar'arat an-Naqab or Ar'ara BaNegev, previously called Aro'er, is a Bedouin town in the Southern District of Israel. Its name stands for "the juniper tree in Negev". It is situated not far from the archaeological site of Aroer.
Ar'arat an-Naqab was founded in 1982 as part of a government project to settle Bedouins in permanent settlements. It is one of seven Bedouin townships in the Negev desert with approved plans and developed infrastructure, Kuseife, Tel as-Sabi.

WWW arara-banegev.muni.il

Population

According to the Israel Central Bureau of Statistics, the population of Ar'arat an-Naqab was in. Its jurisdiction is 14,052 dunams.

History

Continuing the sedentarization policy of the Ottoman Empire, Israel established seven townships built especially for Bedouins in order to sedentarize and urbanize them by offering them better life conditions, proper infrastructure and high quality public services in sanitation, health and education, and municipal services. But not all Bedouins agree to move from tents and structures built on the state lands into apartments prepared for them. In permanent planned villages like Ar'arat an-Naqab lives about 60% of Bedouin citizens of Israel, while the rest in illegal homes spread all over North Negev.
The rate of unemployment remains high in Bedouin townships, as well as crime level. School through age 16 is mandatory by law, but the vast majority of the population does not receive a high school education. Women are discriminated in the patriarchal-type Bedouin society.

Employment

Despite the fact that unemployment level among Negev Bedouins is high, there are several employment opportunities in the region. Several industrial parks are situated in the area - Ramat Hovav, Hura, there are industrial zones in Beersheba, Arad and Dimona, etc. Other job opportunities are: several chemical plants near the Dead Sea like the Dead Sea Works, different high-tech companies and textile shops. There is a number of Bedouins working in the area of service.

Infrastructure

Medical services

There are branches of several health funds in Ar'arat an-Naqab: Leumit, Clalit, Maccabi and several Tipat Halav perinatal centers.

Education

There is a number of schools in the township.

Sewage

Until 2009, Ar'arat an-Naqab's sewage either went through an old purification facility or into one of several pools that were created in the 1980s and posed an environmental hazard. As a result of the construction and expansion of nearby Nevatim Airbase, the Israel Air Force invested in modernizing the purification facility so that it was sufficient for the needs of the village as well as the airbase.