Rights8/13/2026

Bedouin Schools in the Negev Demand Solar Power Replace Diesel Generators

The organization Sikkuy-Aufoq for Equality and Partnership published a petition calling for solar panels to be installed at Bedouin schools in the Negev that receive electricity from diesel generators. According to the publication, the noise and emissions affect thousands of children, but the source does not present a decision issued by a court or by the authorities.

Key facts

•The publication was updated on August 13, 2026
•Ministry of Environmental Protection report — 2023
•Noise at the school in Bir Hadaj exceeded the standard by 20%
•The generator in Abu Sulb consumes 25,000 liters of diesel fuel annually
•The generator’s cost is stated in the source as “430,00 shekels” annually
•The annual electricity cost for a school in Ramat Gan is 160,000 shekels

What Is the Problem?

Dozens of educational institutions in recognized and unrecognized Bedouin communities operate using generators placed near classrooms. In the Neve Midbar Regional Council, there are about 40 officially registered educational institutions, while the Al-Kasom Regional Council operates about 18 generators at educational institutions. Students complain that the constant noise and smell of fuel disrupt their studies.

Pollution Data

According to a 2023 Ministry of Environmental Protection report, generator noise at the school in Bir Hadaj exceeded the permitted level by 20%. Adam Teva V'Din estimated that the school generator in Abu Sulb, which consumes 25,000 liters of diesel fuel annually, emits 118.84 kg of PM2.5 particles, more than 1,690 kg of nitrogen oxides, 111 kg of sulfur oxides, 62,870 kg of carbon dioxide, and 358 grams of benzene. However, official monitoring data are not available for all institutions.

Who Should Act?

The coordinator of the Promoting Equality in the Negev project, Dr. Jinan Abu Shatiya, pointed to the responsibility of local authorities, planning authorities, and government ministries. She believes that the Ministry of Education, which funds the educational process, is obligated to ensure the safety of the institutions, and that an adequate electricity supply is a condition for students’ right to a safe and proper educational environment. The source does not cite a specific statute or court ruling imposing such an obligation regarding these schools.

The Proposed Solution

Permanently connecting all schools to the electricity grid was considered the preferred option. Because this may take a long time, Sikkuy-Aufoq proposes solar panels as a temporary solution and calls for steps to be taken before the start of the next school year. The obstacles mentioned include the absence of access roads and building permits at some institutions.

No Judicial Decision Has Yet Been Reported

The publication mentions a submission made by Yesh Din and the Council for Unrecognized Villages comparing the costs of using a generator with the costs of supplying a school with regular electricity. However, no proceeding number, court, hearing date, or outcome of the submission was provided. The report concerns a public campaign and demands directed at state authorities, not a new judicial decision or an enacted statute.

What this means for you

For students’ families, the initiative does not yet guarantee that schools will automatically be connected to the electricity grid or that solar panels will be installed on a mandatory basis. It strengthens the public demand that local authorities and government ministries ensure a safe electricity supply, but the source does not cite a specific binding decision or an implementation timetable.

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