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Several Ìývillages in the (Naqab) desert in Ìýbegan a general strikeÌýon Tuesday morning to protestÌýtheÌýrazing of land.

The general strike includes schools in the Al-Atrash, Sawa, Bir Hadaaj, Al-Zarnouq and other villages, and there will also be a protest at the junction atÌýAl-Atrash village on Thursday.

The Higher Steering Committee for Arabs in the Negev (HSCAN) announced the strike after an emergency meetingÌýon Monday, as part of anÌýaction "escalating over a period of six months".

"This is building up to a countrywide general strike, a massive demonstration in front of the [Israeli] prime minister's office, and the internationalisation of the issue and [Israel's] racist practices in front of global institutions," HSCAN said.

Also on Monday, theÌýJewish National Fund (JNF), a ,Ìýsent diggers and bulldozersÌýaccompanied by Israeli police into the villages ofÌýNaqa Ber Al-Saba and Al-Atrash.

It was not immediately clear if this happened before or after the HSCAN's emergency meeting.

The JNF seeks to plant a forest on Palestinian land in the Negev.

Israeli policeÌýcontinued their raids in the regionÌýon Tuesday,ÌýuprootingÌýtents set up to host sit-in demonstrations, locals said, according to °®Âþµº's Arabic sister service, Al-Araby Al-Jadeed.

The HSCAN said after its meeting that it is also looking to bolster domestic political support for its cause.

"In addition to the struggle on the ground, it was decided to strengthen the parliamentary support from members of the Knesset belonging to the United [Arab] List and Joint List, and Knesset members who support social justice."