Research Information System
NOMADIC PEOPLES, vol.3, no.1, pp.22-30, 1999 (Peer-Reviewed Journal)
As of 1997 the Bedouin population ofthe Neger numberedroughty 100,000 i n d i v i d u a l s . A p p r o x i m a t e l y o u p e r c e n t orsettlements established by the Israeli authorities: Kahat (30,000), Let-sheva (8,000), Kuseifa (5,000), "Ar'ara (7,000), Shib al-Salam (4,000), Hura (7,000) and Laqiya (3,000).The remaining 40percent lived ni traditional tribal settlements
and structures,such as wooden, metal, or bakedmud huts, tentsmade of goat hair, jutebags, or plasticsheets and houses builtofblocks of stone. They continued to
raise livestock and their flocks ranged in size from a few head to over 200. The 'Bedouin Section' of the Ministry of Agriculture in Beersheba estimates that the
Neger Bedouin have about 200,000 head of sheep and 3,000 of goats. the goats.The main thrust ofgovernmentpolicyhasbeen to move the Bedouin out ofstrengthens a Bedouin's sense ofbeing Bedouin.In brief then, the Neger Bedowin are under severe pressure due to climatic, political, ecological and economic reasons, and due to the process ofurbanisation.Living within thisrepressive andstresstul context,theyare trying to develop and adjust their livestockraising to fit these pressures. Sheep continue to o c c u p y an mportant place in Bedouincultural identity. The data presentedhere further show that sheep raising is sun considered essential and rontable . Raising livestock remains a rational economic strategy when there is enough suitable manpower. Flocks areprofitable as long as they aremanaged by their owners and these have access to adequate pasture land andwater.