To visitors, Al Poraa may not seem much. Clusters of grey one-storey concrete homes with corrugated iron roofs spread across a flat, rocky expanse. What lies under the village soil, however, could be the undoing of the thousands of Bedouin Arabs who live here.
The land, in the Negev desert in southern Israel, is earmarked for a phosphate mine. Permission was granted last month despite objections from health officials that it would pose a danger to humans. Most of the discussions about who stands to suffer have focused on the Jewish town of Arad, 3 kilometres away, rather than the people of Al Poraa. Other nearby Bedouin communities of Al Zarura, Al Azeh and Qatamat also stand to be severely affected, according to a paper by the Israeli planning rights group Bimkom and Adalah, who advocate of behalf of the Arab minority.
"They haven't asked for our opinions," Yossef Kabouh, head of the local residents committee, said of the government. "They don't take us into account. You can't come and decide there will be a mine without talking to people. They are presenting us with a fait accompli that means the end of Al Poraa."
Phosphate from the mine would be used in fertilisers, laundry detergent, pesticides and drugs.
The mine faces a court challenge and needs approval of a more detailed plan. Kabouh and other residents say their families have been on their land since Palestine was ruled by the Ottoman Turks, yet Israel does not recognise their ownership.
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Read more:
The Bedouin village caught up in Israeli settlement battle
Negev Bedouin face Jewish settlers, destruction of farmland
Hundreds join march for Bedouin rights in Israel
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A 2014 study by an independent American specialist commissioned by the government found that phosphate mining would increase the level of toxic particles in the air and could cause higher rates of respiratory and heart diseases. Rotem Amfert, the subsidiary of the Israel Chemicals Corporation that would carry out the work, disputes that there is a health problem, saying the mine will comply with Israel's clean air law and be appropriately supervised. The proposed mine for is the only "realistic phosphate reserve in the state of Israel," according to Rotem Amfert.
Throughout the Negev, Israeli policy is to use the threat and practice of home demolitions to move the Bedouin from their unrecognised villages into crowded townships. In 2009 the government took what Al Poraa residents and planning groups thought was a step that would make them an exception: it announced that a town to be named Al Foraa would be constituted and a planner subsequently met with locals to discuss details. But Kabouh said the talks were halted in 2011 with government officials saying they could not set the borders of Al Poraa until they know the boundaries of the phosphate mine. So no plan was drawn up for the village, making it impossible to build legally. In 2017 alone, dozens of homes were demolished in Al Poraa, Kabouh said.
Now, as the mining plan moves ahead, a depressing reality is emerging: all the homes in Al Poraa and some in the nearby villages are to be vacated. Some 8,000 Bedouin are to be moved into newly constructed homes on one tenth of the area they formerly inhabited while 2,000-3,000 more will be relocated to the nearby town of Kuseifa and elsewhere, according to Yair Maayan, head of the Authority for Development and Settlement of the Bedouin. The precise location of the new Al Foraa has yet to be decided, he said. But what is clear is that the area of the mine and a 1km-perimeter around it will be entirely cleared of Bedouin.
"We intend to concentrate the settlement, to place it into a given area," Maayan said. He maintained that this is being done with no connection to the plans for the mine. He said the authority has already met with families to persuade them to move. "I can't say that 100 per cent agree, but in general there are agreements," he said.
That is news to Kabouh and other residents interviewed by The National, who said they refuse to leave their land or move even a few kilometres away.
"We won't agree to it. This is our land," said Omar Kashchara, 23, who mixes cement for a living.
"My grandfather who is about 90 lived here when he was a child before the state of Israel was established. This is our land, we are tied to it and we won't leave. Even if they demolish our home, we won't leave. We'll build again."
Burhan Mohammed, 60, who had come to pray in a small mosque located in Al Foraa's elementary school, said: "There are other places to mine phosphates. Why do it in the middle of people?"
He is pinning his hopes on people in Arad also opposing the plan. A joint protest of Bedouin and Jewish Israelis from Arad is planned for Thursday.
The Bedouin, the poorest and most marginalised group in Israeli society, are often victims of a state seemingly bent on driving them off their lands — even when there are no phosphates at stake. But in Al Poraa the economic interests behind the mine appear to be dominating the government's thinking, given that objections from Israeli Jews and the health ministry are being sidelined.
Dov Khenin, a member of Israel's parliament, the Knesset says that the government is acting on behalf of powerful business interests instead of looking after its citizens. "What is human life worth when there are profits at stake and money to be made?" he said.
CREW
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The specs: Aston Martin DB11 V8 vs Ferrari GTC4Lusso T
Price, base: Dh840,000; Dh120,000
Engine: 4.0L V8 twin-turbo; 3.9L V8 turbo
Transmission: Eight-speed automatic; seven-speed automatic
Power: 509hp @ 6,000rpm; 601hp @ 7,500rpm
Torque: 695Nm @ 2,000rpm; 760Nm @ 3,000rpm
Fuel economy, combined: 9.9L / 100km; 11.6L / 100km
In Full Flight: A Story of Africa and Atonement
John Heminway, Knopff
Naga
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The specs
Engine: 4.0-litre, twin-turbocharged V8
Transmission: nine-speed automatic
Power: 630bhp
Torque: 900Nm
Price: Dh810,000
Killing of Qassem Suleimani
Quick pearls of wisdom
Focus on gratitude: And do so deeply, he says. “Think of one to three things a day that you’re grateful for. It needs to be specific, too, don’t just say ‘air.’ Really think about it. If you’re grateful for, say, what your parents have done for you, that will motivate you to do more for the world.”
Know how to fight: Shetty married his wife, Radhi, three years ago (he met her in a meditation class before he went off and became a monk). He says they’ve had to learn to respect each other’s “fighting styles” – he’s a talk it-out-immediately person, while she needs space to think. “When you’re having an argument, remember, it’s not you against each other. It’s both of you against the problem. When you win, they lose. If you’re on a team you have to win together.”
More on animal trafficking
More from Neighbourhood Watch
Heavily-sugared soft drinks slip through the tax net
Some popular drinks with high levels of sugar and caffeine have slipped through the fizz drink tax loophole, as they are not carbonated or classed as an energy drink.
Arizona Iced Tea with lemon is one of those beverages, with one 240 millilitre serving offering up 23 grams of sugar - about six teaspoons.
A 680ml can of Arizona Iced Tea costs just Dh6.
Most sports drinks sold in supermarkets were found to contain, on average, five teaspoons of sugar in a 500ml bottle.
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SHOW COURTS ORDER OF PLAY
Wimbledon order of play on Tuesday, July 11
All times UAE ( 4 GMT)
Centre Court
Adrian Mannarino v Novak Djokovic (2)
Venus Williams (10) v Jelena Ostapenko (13)
Johanna Konta (6) v Simona Halep (2)
Court 1
Garbine Muguruza (14) v
Svetlana Kuznetsova (7)
Magdalena Rybarikova v Coco Vandeweghe (24)
Brief scoreline:
Al Wahda 2
Al Menhali 27', Tagliabue 79'
Al Nassr 3
Hamdallah 41', Giuliano 45 1', 62'
CONFIRMED%20LINE-UP
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'Gehraiyaan'
Director:Shakun Batra
Stars:Deepika Padukone, Siddhant Chaturvedi, Ananya Panday, Dhairya Karwa
Rating: 4/5
Red flags
- Promises of high, fixed or 'guaranteed' returns.
- Unregulated structured products or complex investments often used to bypass traditional safeguards.
- Lack of clear information, vague language, no access to audited financials.
- Overseas companies targeting investors in other jurisdictions - this can make legal recovery difficult.
- Hard-selling tactics - creating urgency, offering 'exclusive' deals.
Courtesy: Carol Glynn, founder of Conscious Finance Coaching
The specs
Engine: 3.8-litre, twin-turbo V8
Transmission: eight-speed automatic
Power: 582bhp
Torque: 730Nm
Price: Dh649,000
On sale: now
Blackpink World Tour [Born Pink] In Cinemas
Starring: Rose, Jisoo, Jennie, Lisa
Directors: Min Geun, Oh Yoon-Dong
Rating: 3/5
THE%20SPECS
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What is safeguarding?
“Safeguarding, not just in sport, but in all walks of life, is making sure that policies are put in place that make sure your child is safe; when they attend a football club, a tennis club, that there are welfare officers at clubs who are qualified to a standard to make sure your child is safe in that environment,” Derek Bell explains.
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Dark Souls: Remastered
Developer: From Software (remaster by QLOC)
Publisher: Namco Bandai
Price: Dh199
GOLF’S RAHMBO
- 5 wins in 22 months as pro
- Three wins in past 10 starts
- 45 pro starts worldwide: 5 wins, 17 top 5s
- Ranked 551th in world on debut, now No 4 (was No 2 earlier this year)
- 5th player in last 30 years to win 3 European Tour and 2 PGA Tour titles before age 24 (Woods, Garcia, McIlroy, Spieth)
Gothia Cup 2025
4,872 matches
1,942 teams
116 pitches
76 nations
26 UAE teams
15 Lebanese teams
2 Kuwaiti teams
How tumultuous protests grew
- A fuel tax protest by French drivers appealed to wider anti-government sentiment
- Unlike previous French demonstrations there was no trade union or organised movement involved
- Demonstrators responded to online petitions and flooded squares to block traffic
- At its height there were almost 300,000 on the streets in support
- Named after the high visibility jackets that drivers must keep in cars
- Clashes soon turned violent as thousands fought with police at cordons
- An estimated two dozen people lost eyes and many others were admitted to hospital
Specs
Engine: Dual-motor all-wheel-drive electric
Range: Up to 610km
Power: 905hp
Torque: 985Nm
Price: From Dh439,000
Available: Now
UAE squad
Esha Oza (captain), Al Maseera Jahangir, Emily Thomas, Heena Hotchandani, Indhuja Nandakumar, Katie Thompson, Lavanya Keny, Mehak Thakur, Michelle Botha, Rinitha Rajith, Samaira Dharnidharka, Siya Gokhale, Sashikala Silva, Suraksha Kotte, Theertha Satish (wicketkeeper) Udeni Kuruppuarachchige, Vaishnave Mahesh.
UAE tour of Zimbabwe
All matches in Bulawayo
Friday, Sept 26 – First ODI
Sunday, Sept 28 – Second ODI
Tuesday, Sept 30 – Third ODI
Thursday, Oct 2 – Fourth ODI
Sunday, Oct 5 – First T20I
Monday, Oct 6 – Second T20I
Pharaoh's curse
British aristocrat Lord Carnarvon, who funded the expedition to find the Tutankhamun tomb, died in a Cairo hotel four months after the crypt was opened.
He had been in poor health for many years after a car crash, and a mosquito bite made worse by a shaving cut led to blood poisoning and pneumonia.
Reports at the time said Lord Carnarvon suffered from “pain as the inflammation affected the nasal passages and eyes”.
Decades later, scientists contended he had died of aspergillosis after inhaling spores of the fungus aspergillus in the tomb, which can lie dormant for months. The fact several others who entered were also found dead withiin a short time led to the myth of the curse.
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MATCH INFO
Fixture: Ukraine v Portugal, Monday, 10.45pm (UAE)
TV: BeIN Sports
Our legal advisor
Ahmad El Sayed is Senior Associate at Charles Russell Speechlys, a law firm headquartered in London with offices in the UK, Europe, the Middle East and Hong Kong.
Experience: Commercial litigator who has assisted clients with overseas judgments before UAE courts. His specialties are cases related to banking, real estate, shareholder disputes, company liquidations and criminal matters as well as employment related litigation.
Education: Sagesse University, Beirut, Lebanon, in 2005.
What is blockchain?
Blockchain is a form of distributed ledger technology, a digital system in which data is recorded across multiple places at the same time. Unlike traditional databases, DLTs have no central administrator or centralised data storage. They are transparent because the data is visible and, because they are automatically replicated and impossible to be tampered with, they are secure.
The main difference between blockchain and other forms of DLT is the way data is stored as ‘blocks’ – new transactions are added to the existing ‘chain’ of past transactions, hence the name ‘blockchain’. It is impossible to delete or modify information on the chain due to the replication of blocks across various locations.
Blockchain is mostly associated with cryptocurrency Bitcoin. Due to the inability to tamper with transactions, advocates say this makes the currency more secure and safer than traditional systems. It is maintained by a network of people referred to as ‘miners’, who receive rewards for solving complex mathematical equations that enable transactions to go through.
However, one of the major problems that has come to light has been the presence of illicit material buried in the Bitcoin blockchain, linking it to the dark web.
Other blockchain platforms can offer things like smart contracts, which are automatically implemented when specific conditions from all interested parties are reached, cutting the time involved and the risk of mistakes. Another use could be storing medical records, as patients can be confident their information cannot be changed. The technology can also be used in supply chains, voting and has the potential to used for storing property records.
Hydrogen: Market potential
Hydrogen has an estimated $11 trillion market potential, according to Bank of America Securities and is expected to generate $2.5tn in direct revenues and $11tn of indirect infrastructure by 2050 as its production increases six-fold.
"We believe we are reaching the point of harnessing the element that comprises 90 per cent of the universe, effectively and economically,” the bank said in a recent report.
Falling costs of renewable energy and electrolysers used in green hydrogen production is one of the main catalysts for the increasingly bullish sentiment over the element.
The cost of electrolysers used in green hydrogen production has halved over the last five years and will fall to 60 to 90 per cent by the end of the decade, acceding to Haim Israel, equity strategist at Merrill Lynch. A global focus on decarbonisation and sustainability is also a big driver in its development.
UAE v Gibraltar
What: International friendly
When: 7pm kick off
Where: Rugby Park, Dubai Sports City
Admission: Free
Online: The match will be broadcast live on Dubai Exiles’ Facebook page
UAE squad: Lucas Waddington (Dubai Exiles), Gio Fourie (Exiles), Craig Nutt (Abu Dhabi Harlequins), Phil Brady (Harlequins), Daniel Perry (Dubai Hurricanes), Esekaia Dranibota (Harlequins), Matt Mills (Exiles), Jaen Botes (Exiles), Kristian Stinson (Exiles), Murray Reason (Abu Dhabi Saracens), Dave Knight (Hurricanes), Ross Samson (Jebel Ali Dragons), DuRandt Gerber (Exiles), Saki Naisau (Dragons), Andrew Powell (Hurricanes), Emosi Vacanau (Harlequins), Niko Volavola (Dragons), Matt Richards (Dragons), Luke Stevenson (Harlequins), Josh Ives (Dubai Sports City Eagles), Sean Stevens (Saracens), Thinus Steyn (Exiles)
