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The Azazima/Azazimeh or Azazme/ 'Azazmeh/al-Azazmeh () are a
Bedouin The Bedouin, Beduin, or Bedu ( ; , singular ) are pastorally nomadic Arab tribes who have historically inhabited the desert regions in the Arabian Peninsula, North Africa, the Levant, and Mesopotamia (Iraq). The Bedouin originated in the Sy ...
tribe whose grazing territory used to be the desert around the wells at
El Auja Auja al-Hafir (, also Auja) was an ancient road junction close to water wells in the western Negev and eastern Sinai Peninsula, Sinai. It was the traditional grazing land of the 'Azazme tribe. The border crossing between Egypt and Ottoman Palest ...
and Bir Ain on the border between
Israel Israel, officially the State of Israel, is a country in West Asia. It Borders of Israel, shares borders with Lebanon to the north, Syria to the north-east, Jordan to the east, Egypt to the south-west, and the Mediterranean Sea to the west. Isr ...
and
Egypt Egypt ( , ), officially the Arab Republic of Egypt, is a country spanning the Northeast Africa, northeast corner of Africa and Western Asia, southwest corner of Asia via the Sinai Peninsula. It is bordered by the Mediterranean Sea to northe ...
. During the 19th century the 'Azazme fought as allies with the Tarabin in their war against the Tiyaha. Subsequently they were in a land dispute with the Tarabin, ''the War of Zari'', which lasted for several years until the founding of modern
Beersheba Beersheba ( / ; ), officially Be'er-Sheva, is the largest city in the Negev desert of southern Israel. Often referred to as the "Capital of the Negev", it is the centre of the fourth-most populous metropolitan area in Israel, the eighth-most p ...
and the extension of Ottoman authority. Palestine Exploration Quarterly (PEQ; October 1937) ''Notes on the Bedouin Tribes of Beersheba District I. By S. Hillelson.'' Pages 249-251. In April 1875 Lieut. Claude R. Conder, who was surveying Gaza District for the
Palestine Exploration Fund The Palestine Exploration Fund is a British society based in London. It was founded in 1865, shortly after the completion of the Ordnance Survey of Jerusalem by Royal Engineers of the War Department. The Fund is the oldest known organization i ...
, reported a "fierce contest" going on around Beersheba between the 'Azazme and the Tiyaha. An early twentieth century explorer reported that one of the favorite grazing grounds belonging to the 'Azazme was a strip of hilly country eight miles in width between Wady Jeraafy and Wady Ubaira, 115 km south of
Beersheba Beersheba ( / ; ), officially Be'er-Sheva, is the largest city in the Negev desert of southern Israel. Often referred to as the "Capital of the Negev", it is the centre of the fourth-most populous metropolitan area in Israel, the eighth-most p ...
. He describes the land as "well grown with bush and grass." In the early 20th century the 'Azazme established a village at al- Khalasa, which was the site of an ancient Nabatean settlement on the route between Gaza and
Petra Petra (; "Rock"), originally known to its inhabitants as Raqmu (Nabataean Aramaic, Nabataean: or , *''Raqēmō''), is an ancient city and archaeological site in southern Jordan. Famous for its rock-cut architecture and water conduit systems, P ...
. In 1930 they were reported to number 10,000, divided into ten sub-sections. Hillelson, writing for the Palestine Exploration Quarterly (PEQ) in 1937, states that "they are of dark complexion, and conspicuous for honesty and patient bearing in adversity, and they will do their utmost for the guest ... Their women herd the flocks. Men respect women because they have good Arab manners. Scarcity of grazing compels them to a wandering life more than other tribes. The area over which they wander is spacious, but affords little opportunity for cultivation: yet they grow a little wheat and
barley Barley (), a member of the grass family, is a major cereal grain grown in temperate climates globally. It was one of the first cultivated grains; it was domesticated in the Fertile Crescent around 9000 BC, giving it nonshattering spikele ...
, and a few of them cultivate
millet Millets () are a highly varied group of small-seeded grasses, widely grown around the world as cereal crops or grains for fodder and human food. Most millets belong to the tribe Paniceae. Millets are important crops in the Semi-arid climate, ...
and water melons." In 1948, the 'Azazme numbered around 3,500. During 1950 the entire tribe was driven from the area around El Auja. In a series of raids the IDF burnt tents and shot at anyone approaching the wells. The IAF was used to strafe encampments. On 28 September 1953, the IDF established the kibbutz Ktzi'ot on land claimed by the 'Azazme. A UN investigation into the murder of eleven Israelis at Scorpion Pass, 17 March 1954, found that the killings were committed by men from the 'Azazme who had joined a group known as the ''Black Hand'' gang, based at Qussaima. Despite the evidence that the attackers came from across the Egyptian border, the IDF launched a reprisal raid against Nahalin in the
West Bank The West Bank is located on the western bank of the Jordan River and is the larger of the two Palestinian territories (the other being the Gaza Strip) that make up the State of Palestine. A landlocked territory near the coast of the Mediter ...
. Prior to 1948, one section of the 'Azazme lived in Wadi Al-Akhdar, 'the green valley', between Bir Saba' and Faluja. In the early 1950s, the Israeli army moved them to the hills south of
Hebron Hebron (; , or ; , ) is a Palestinian city in the southern West Bank, south of Jerusalem. Hebron is capital of the Hebron Governorate, the largest Governorates of Palestine, governorate in the West Bank. With a population of 201,063 in ...
. In 1969 they crossed the border into Wadi Araba, but the Jordanian authorities refused to let them proceed any further fearing a general exodus of Bedouins from the
Negev The Negev ( ; ) or Naqab (), is a desert and semidesert region of southern Israel. The region's largest city and administrative capital is Beersheba (pop. ), in the north. At its southern end is the Gulf of Aqaba and the resort town, resort city ...
. They were also refused refugee status. Many of them were expelled by
Ariel Sharon Ariel Sharon ( ; also known by his diminutive Arik, ; 26 February 192811 January 2014) was an Israeli general and politician who served as the prime minister of Israel from March 2001 until April 2006. Born in Kfar Malal in Mandatory Palestin ...
from the area of Abu-Ageila in a secret operation conducted in late January 1972. There are at least nine Israeli towns on land claimed by the 'Azazme, including the military camp and prison at Ktzi'ot and the town and nuclear plant at
Dimona Dimona (, ) is an Israeli city in the Negev desert, to the south-east of Beersheba and west of the Dead Sea above the Arabah, Arava valley in the Southern District (Israel), Southern District of Israel. In , its population was . The Shimon Pere ...
. Kawar, Widad Kamel (2011). ''Threads of Identity. Preserving Palestinian Costume and Heritage''. Rimal Publications. . Page 398-402. 'Azazme population centres in Israel include: Wadi al-Na'am, an unrecognised village with a population of 5,000; Shaqib al-Salam established in 1979 as part of a government program of establishing permanent Bedouin settlements, population 6,500; Bir Hadaj, recognised in 2004, population 5,000.


See also

* Israeli Bedouin ** Galilee Bedouin **
Negev Bedouin The Negev Bedouin (, ''Badwu an-Naqab''; , ''HaBedu'im BaNegev'') are traditionally pastoral nomadic Arab tribes (Bedouin), while some are of sub-Saharan African descent, who until the later part of the 19th century would wander between Hija ...
* Palestinian Bedouin


References


Further reading

* * (translated from German by William Templer) {{Authority control Bedouins in Israel Bedouin groups Egypt–Israel relations Bedouins in Egypt