13 Arab Israeli Bedouin Honored For Heroism In Saving Israelis On Oct.7
by Karen Faulkner, Worthy News Correspondent
(Worthy News) – The Israeli Arab Bedouin community was described as the “pride of Israel” during a ceremony held Monday to honor 13 civilian Bedouin who risked their lives to save an untold number of Israelis during the Oct. 7 genocidal attack by Hamas, the Jerusalem Post reports. The ceremony took place at the Friends of Zion Museum in Jerusalem and was attended by numerous Israeli public figures, including government ministers.
As Arabs, the Bedouins are not required to serve in the Israel Defense Forces, but more than 1,500 members of their community volunteer for IDF service at any given time. Moreover, these soldiers are known for their courage, loyalty, and skill as defenders of Israel.
Nevertheless, the Bedouin community has had a historically rocky relationship with Israeli authorities amid disputes over land that successive governments claim belongs to the state but which Bedouins have lived on for generations. The tension has left Bedouins continually vulnerable to losing their homes and on the margins of Israeli society.
In his address to those gathered for Monday’s ceremony, Israel’s immediate former President Reuven Rivlin said the Bedouin community today stands as the “pride of Israel.” Paying tribute to the heroes’ bravery while under gunfire from Hamas, Rivlin emphasized that more must be done to integrate the Bedouin into Israeli society in such a way that they can benefit from being part of the state while also retaining their historical culture and traditions.
In particular, Rivlin said, the land issue must be resolved for the Bedouin’s sake.
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