The Azazima/Azazimeh or Azazme/ 'Azazmeh/al-Azazmeh (Arabic: العزازمة) are a Bedouin tribe whose grazing territory used to be the desert around the wells at El Auja and Bir Ain on the border between Israel and Egypt.
Subsequently they were in a land dispute with the Tarabin, the War of Zari, which lasted for several years until the founding of modern Beersheba and the extension of Ottoman authority.
Hillelson, writing for the Palestine Exploration Quarterly (PEQ) in 1937, states that "they are of dark complexion, and conspicuous for honesty and patient bearing in adversity, and they will do their utmost for the guest ... Their women herd the flocks.
A UN investigation into the murder of eleven Israelis at Scorpion Pass, 17 March 1954, found that the killings were committed by men from the 'Azazme who had joined a group known as the Black Hand gang, based at Qussaima.
In 1969 they crossed the border into Wadi Araba, but the Jordanian authorities refused to let them proceed any further fearing a general exodus of Bedouins from the Negev.
[11] There are at least nine Israeli settlements on land claimed by the 'Azazme, including the military camp and prison at Ktzi'ot and the town and nuclear plant at Dimona.