Tel as-Sabi (Tel Sheva)

Basic Information

Type

Town

Governorate

Southern District (Israel)

Region

Israel - Negev

Overview

Tel as-Sabi (Tel Sheva in Hebrew) is the first of the seven planned Bedouin townships established by Israel in the Negev. Founded in 1967, it was the prototype for Israel's forced urbanization policy for the Negev Bedouin. The town was built to concentrate Bedouin families, particularly from the az-Zullam tribe, who were removed from their traditional grazing lands around Beer Sheva (Bir as-Sabi'). Tel as-Sabi was the first experiment in transforming the Bedouin from pastoral nomads to urban residents, and it became a model — both praised by Israeli planners and criticized by Bedouin communities — for the subsequent townships. The town suffers from high unemployment, inadequate infrastructure, and the social problems common to disrupted traditional societies.

Historical Significance

First planned Bedouin township in the Negev (1967); prototype for forced urbanization policy; model for subsequent Bedouin townships.

Sources and record limitations

Source detail varies by record. Some entries include document and page references; others supply source names only. Check the cited material and the record's limitations before relying on a specific claim.

• Wikipedia
• Israel CBS
• Negev Coexistence Forum

First Bedouin township — prototype for forced urbanization