The Bedouin Villages of Masafer Yatta in Hebron, West Bank: Wednesday, October 5, 2022, Engage in Palestine organised a day trip to the Bedouin villages of Masafer Yatta located in the South Hebron Hills. In the stifling morning sun, we arrived at Umm al-Khair where we were greeted by four local men and the usual, hospitable cups of Arabic coffee.
They told us about their life under occupation: seven hours of access to water per week, the constant demolitions of their homes, the Jewish Settlers invading their homes in the middle of the night, destroying their cars, and belongings and, brandishing their guns. Nearby, resided the Settlers’ chicken farm, which avails of round-the-clock light, electricity, solar panels and a constant flow of water.
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Judicial Rights
When we asked the locals about their judicial rights, they told us how they had access to legal aid, however, once their cases reached the Israeli High Court of Justice (HCJ), nothing ever became of them, until the next demolition or land confiscation, and still no results or any type of closure ever materialised.
Upon arrival, I noticed the large art piece on the new community centre wall, commemorating the death of Hajj Suleiman al-Hathaleen, the 75-year-old Palestinian peaceful protester, who led this community, and blocked many attempts to confiscate land or demolish houses. The Israeli Occupation Forces (IOF), deliberately and violently killed him in January of this year. They ran him over with their tow truck, directly in front of the community centre and children’s playground where we were standing.
The Surrounding Environment
As I looked around and absorbed the surrounding environment of makeshift houses, the community centre, the children’s play area and the desert scenery, I noticed for the first time, directly behind me, across the road and perched on the hills, were suburban houses, with their suburban cars in their driveways, merely two hundred metres from where I was sitting – the Jewish Settlers’ neighbourhood.
This is the reality of life for the people of Masafer Yatta. They, the local and rightful landowners live in what resembles a basic refugee camp, rationing water and electricity in a third-world environment, awaiting the Israeli authorities to come and demolish another structure, or a structure that has just been restored – as was the case of the community centre, which had been demolished and rebuilt no less than five times. While across the road, the Jewish Settlers live in an eerily, idyllic suburbia.
The South Hebron Hills
Our next stop was further into the South Hebron Hills, where we met another family, whose house, which was remotely overlooking beautiful, peaceful and empty lands, had just been demolished. The father, and the head of the family, decided to “think outside the box”: if he and his family couldn’t live peacefully on their land, they would live in, and underneath the land, and so he built a cave.
As we descended into the cave we marvelled at its beauty. It was refreshingly cool and completely white inside, the seats were decorated with ornate designs, and he had wired the room himself so it had a light on the ceiling that could be turned on with the flick of a switch.
Meet The Bedouin Families
At our third and final stop, we met the last of the Bedouin families in Hebron, West Bank. They recounted how the Jewish Settlers would often ride out to their remote location on horses, flaunting their guns, or the Israeli soldiers would prey on them by flying their drones over their lands, invading the privacy of their homes.
Overall, it was an incredibly insightful and interesting day trip, to see how resilient these Palestinian Bedouin people live. Their very existence is a constant struggle against the oppressive IOF, continuously repressing their livelihoods, and forcing them, the indigenous people, to live underground, in their land and out of sight.
The case of Masafer Yatta in Hebron, West Bank depicts how the Israeli government continues to breach international law. These forced evictions resulting from the demolitions are a gross violation of human rights including the right to adequate housing, water, sanitation, health, education, and privacy; and should be legally held accountable.
Conclusion: The Plight of Masafer Yatta’s Bedouin Communities
The Bedouin communities of Masafer Yatta in the South Hebron Hills endure severe hardships under Israeli occupation as their human rights are under constant pressure. Facing limited access to essential resources like water and electricity, frequent demolitions of their homes, and intimidation from nearby settlers, their daily existence is fraught with challenges. Despite seeking legal recourse, these communities often find their efforts thwarted, leaving them vulnerable to further displacement.
The tragic death of Hajj Suleiman al-Hathaleen, a prominent peaceful protester, underscores the perilous environment in which they live. The stark contrast between their living conditions and those of adjacent settler neighbourhoods highlights systemic inequalities. International bodies, including the United Nations, have expressed alarm over these forced evictions, deeming them violations of human rights and international law.
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