The Bedouin were not supposed to be seen by our tour. We passed these dwellings on the way back from the Dead Sea. The images are taken from a moving bus and through dirty windows. Look at their dwellings - life in the desert is difficult.

The Bedouin had been Nomadic herders from before the time of Abraham. The Israeli government encouraged them to move to into villages and promised them housing and assistance. About half of the Bedouins took advantage- some by choice and others by force.. The official villages are the poorest in the nation - sewer, water and other services do not exist. 25% of the males are unemployed.

The Bedouins who refused to give up their land and villages have it worse. In 1984 Israeli courts ruled that the have no claim to the land that has been theirs for generations. The government refuses to recognize their settlements.. These villages do not directly appear on commercial Israeli maps, and lack basic services like water, electricity and schools. Building permanent structures and farming is prohibited although many do, risking fines and home demolition.] The Israeli government frequently demolishes homes and sprays toxic pesticides onto crops.

I realize that similar things happened in the United States and that we have extreme poverty in areas were Native Americans were settled. It isn't easy to live in the ancient world and the modern world at the same time. Native Americans and Bedouins are different - they don't melt into the rest of society easily. They have ancient ways and beliefs that they want to maintain regardless of what the world around them is doing. While I don't have the answer, I do have an suggestion. There is a place in Jerusalem that contains the history of another group of people who were were mistreated by their government because they were different from the majority. Stroll through the Holocaust Museum - look at the exhibits from the thirties - do you see any parallels?