Desert region of southern Israel (5)
I believe the answer is:
negev
'desert region of southern israel' is the definition.
(I've seen this in another clue)
This is the entire clue.
(Other definitions for negev that I've seen before include "part of Israel" , "Southern Israeli desert" , "Israeli desert area abutting Sinai" , "Desert region in Israel" , "Wilderness" .)