The Prawer Plan Law is still on the Table: The Israeli Government Decides to Continue
On 5 January 2014, the Israeli Prime Minister’s Office issued a short statement in Hebrew stressing that the government decided to continue with the legislative process of the “Bill for the Regulation of the Settlement of the Bedouin in the Negev (2012)”, known as the Prawer Plan law. According to the statement, "The authorities regarding the settlement and economic-social development of the Bedouin in the Negev were transferred from the Prime Minister's office to the Ministry of Agriculture.”
Three weeks ago, former Minister Benny Begin, who was appointed by the Prime Minister to implement the Prawer Plan, resigned from his position. At the time, Begin stated at a press conference that he recommended that the Knesset debates on the Prawer law be stopped, and that the Prime Minister adopted this recommendation. Thus, it was widely reported in the media and understood by all that the legislation would be rescinded.
In response, Adalah stated that, “Even after the minister-in-charge [Benny Begin] admitted that there had been no consultation with Arab Bedouin citizens of the state about the specifics of the plan, and announced that the advice shared with the Prime Minister to stop the legislative process was accepted, the Israeli government now proclaims that it will continue with its one-sided and dangerous plan. This plan will cause serious harm to Arab Bedouin citizens’ rights and lives, and thus, Adalah will continue with its work to stop it.”
See the PMO press release, 5 January 2014 (Hebrew)
See Adalah: The government’s decision to cancel the Prawer Plan bill is a major achievement, 12 December 2013
For more resources and information about the Prawer Plan, see Adalah’s Stop Prawer Page
