Israeli discriminatory laws and institutions at play in al-Araqib In 1951, the inhabitants of al-Araqib were displaced under the guise of ‘public purposes’ under the Land Acquisition Law (1953),111 claiming that the village lands would be used for military training for six months. Israel promised the inhabitants that they would be allowed to return to the village after six months, but after this time passed, they were denied return to their homes without explanation. “They forced us to leave, and they built a border between what they called the military area and what was left of our village. After six months, they told us that we wouldn’t be allowed to go back. The six-month-period passed and during that time we never saw a single soldier. There were no military trainings and there was nothing happening on the land.” Nader Touri, 74-year old resident of al-Araqib. Interview: Al-Araqib, 23 February 2017 Since there had been no Israeli official registration of the ownership of the majority of lands in the Naqab, in 1972 Israel allowed its citizens to submit land claims under the Land Settlement Law (1969).112 Despite the submission of multiple claims for land ownership, the Touri’s application for al-Araqib was never considered.113 Additionally, the Israeli authorities did not consider the applications of other ‘unrecognized’ villages since the 1970s, and these lands were designated as ‘settlement land’.114 111 This law “permits the state to formalize the transfer of Palestinian land that on 1 April 1952 was not in the possession of its owners; that had been used or assigned between 14 May 1948 and 1 April 1952 for military and settlement purposes; and was still required for these purposes.” See BADIL,“Land Ownership in Palestine/Israel (1920-2000),” Stocktaking and Perspectives, no. 5, Spring 2000. 112 Adalah, “ILA and JNF should stop plan to build forest on ruins of Bedouin village,” August 2009, available at: https://www.adalah.org/en/content/view/6990 [accessed 21 September 2017]. 113 Zochrot, “al-’Araqib,” 2014, available at: http://zochrot.org/en/village/52884 [accessed 21 September 2017] [hereinafter Zochrot “al-‘Araqib”]. 114 Adalah, “ILA and JNF should stop plan to build forest on destroyed Bedouin village,” 13 August 2008, available at: https://www.adalah.org/en/content/view/6990 [accessed 21 September 2017] [hereinafter Adalah, “ILA and JNF”]. 43