Volunteers from the Higher Arab Monitoring Committee and several political activists had helped the villagers of Al-Araqib rebuild their homes over the past few days.

The activists said that they will continue to rebuild structures in the village which is located in the southern Negev Desert.

The Al-Araqib’s village committee said in a press statement that the police acted violently during the clashes that erupted in the area.

“All attempts to uproot the residents of the village will ultimately fail,” the committee said.

“The attempt to uproot Bedouin citizens from their communities constitutes a serious insult to all Bedouin.”

It added that the demolitions deepen the distrust between the Israeli government and the Bedouin community.

For his part, the Arab Member of Israeli Knesset Talab El-Sana criticized the demolition of the houses during the holy month of Ramadan.

El-Sana said that the government of Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu is “crossing red lines” and “declaring war on the Arab citizens.” He warned that the “Israeli usage of violence against Arab citizens instead of dialogue will lead to a new cycle of violence in the area.”

The Israeli Lands Administration (ILA) said the evacuation of Bedouins was conducted after many years of legal — and physical — battles against the Al-Touri tribe. The ILA said the Al-Touri tribe invaded the area, which is state land, in 1998.

Two years later in 2000, a court order was handed down banning them from entering the area.

But the tribe moved in and planted trees. The ILA offered to rent them the land at a price of 2 Israeli shekel per dunam, but they refused to pay.