Dignity Takings and Dispossession in Israel
52 Pages Posted: 5 Jul 2016 Last revised: 19 Jul 2016
Date Written: July 2, 2016
Abstract
This paper examines the concept of dignity takings, as developed by Bernadette Atuahene, and its applicability to the Israeli situation, focusing on takings from the Arab-Palestinian minority in Israel. Although I find dignity takings a valuable concept, as it emphasizes the interconnections between land dispossession and the denial of human dignity, I offer some qualifications and suggestions. I then examine the applicability of the concept to the dispossession of Arabs/Palestinians in Israel through two case studies: one, a close reading of the (in)famous Ikrit villagers’ dispossession; the other, an examination of the dispossession of Negev (southern Israel) Bedouin citizens of Israel, which takes place, not unlike terra nullius, simultaneously with a denial of this very taking. The article concludes that with some modifications, the concept of dignity taking applies to the situation of Arab/Palestinian citizens of Israel.
Keywords: property, human dignity, dispossession, indigenous land, Israel, Palestine
JEL Classification: K11
Suggested Citation: Suggested Citation