The Silent Displacement
While the world watches Gaza unfold, a shadow is cast in the West Bank where a surge of unprecedented violence and displacement is taking place. Abdu-Rahnan from Wadi al-Seeq states, “It became a totally different life between Oct 6th, and Oct 7th”, after his entire community was forced to flee for fear of their lives. Since the Hamas attacks, 20 communities comprising over a thousand people have been displaced due to settler violence. Additionally, the number of Palestinians displaced by settler violence on average per month has more than doubled, totaling 280 people per month. In tandem with settler violence, demolitions by the Israeli government have also increased. In a recent report by the United Nations Humanitarian Agency (OCHA), it states from Oct 7th to June 3rd, 2024, the Israeli government destroyed over 900 homes, displacing over 2000 people through demolitions. In January OCHA stated there was a "36 percent increase in displacement since the beginning of 2023.”
The following images are taken in the South Hebron Hills and Jordan Valley of the West Bank. The photographs show five families that have been forced out of their communities due to settler violence or lost their homes from demolitions, and in some cases, due to both. Their stories share an ongoing reality of displacement and settler harassment throughout the West Bank. Every single family I spoke with is still being harassed by the same settlers who displaced them and reported their homes for demolition. These photos were part of a photo essay for Mondoweiss.
Abdu-Rahnan poses for a portrait next to the barn he recently built for his goats in Ramun.
Abdu-Rahnan Mustafa Kabnaah lived with his wife and seven children in Wadi al-Seeq - a small village in the Jordan Valley consisting of 31 families. The village starting having problems with settlers when an outpost (illegal settlement) was built nearby. From February until October in 2023, the community was experience nearly daily harassment. But after Oct 7th the settlers increased their harassment to new heights and prevented the community from using any source of water and blocked off entrances for vehicles. On Oct 10th, an Israeli activist discovered a settler online chat forum calling on the massacre of Wadi al-Seeq. Two days later, settlers came into the village and started attacking the entire community of 250 members, beating them to the ground, putting boots on their faces, and shooting in the air. Adbu-Rahnan states, “after the beating , they gathered us all in one place, and told us you have one hour… any Palestinian left here, will die.” The entire community left on Oct 12th, and have been displaced throughout the surrounding areas.
Kabnaah Family
Abdu-Rahnan’s child sleeps outside on a property where the owners let the family use the land. The Kabnaah family has been displaced twice since fleeing Wadi al-Seeq, moving between different properties in Ramun. The owner of the land where they are currently living has allowed them to stay temporarily and they do not know what they will do once they have to leave.
Abdu-Rahnan’s children stand by a water tank, which is the family’s source of fresh water.
Abdu-Rahnan’s children make breakfast on the ridge in Ramun.
Rashash was a small community located in the Jordan Valley. In 2015, the Israeli Civil Administration demolished all the homes in Rashash, where most members of the community left except for Suleiman Zawahre and his tribe. The tribe comes from a long history of Bedouins and their livelihood depends on grazing sheep. But since 2017, settlers started expanding more structures near their land, denying access to grazing, and blocking access to their spring - a vital resource for the village. After October 7th, the community faced an even harder reality. Three days later, the settlers brought bulldozers and blocked the entrances to the village, came into the community and increased their harassment. Working with Israeli activists against displacement and land seizure, the activists informed them the neighboring village of Wadi al-Seeq had fled due to threats against their life, and told them they had no way to help the residents of Rashash. On October 14th, two days after Wadi al-Seeq, the community of 18 families decided to unblock the road at night, and abandoned their homes for fear their village would have the same fate as Wadi al-Seeq. Suleiman describes it as, “ a Nakba following another Nakba.” He feels, “they used the war to take our lands.” The community currently finds themselves spread out in the neighboring town of Duma.
Zawahre Family
Suleiman washes his feet before praying in a temporary shelter he built in Duma.
Suleiman poses for portrait outside the tent where he and his family now sleep after being displaced from Rashash. Suleiman has two wives, and thirteen children.
Suleiman’s cousin has been living in Duma, but recently found himself in the same situation as Suleiman . His home was recently demolished for being unauthorized by the Israeli Civil Administration and he now sleeps in a tent with his family, next to Suleiman’s tent.
Suleiman’s cousin poses for a portrait in his demolished home.
Suleiman’s son poses for a portrait on his mattress where he sleeps in a partially demolished building in Duma.
Jamel loads items from his demolished home onto a donkey to bring up the hill to the tents he and his family will now use for shelter.
Jamel Mahharza lives with his brother and extended family on the property - around 20 people in total. In March the family received a demolition order and on June 6th, Jamel saw bulldozers coming to his property while grazing his goats. When he arrived the Israeli Border Police had forced his family into a tent, and began the demolition. In the process they cut the solar panel cables and his property currently has no electricity. Jamel states, “these houses were built with brick and were safe for my children to sleep, now they are thrown to nowhere.” The family has now returned to the tents surrounded by a cave for sleeping, which hasn’t been used in three years and hasn’t been properly maintained. When asking Jamel’s brother, Ahmed if he’s had encounters with settlers he replied, “I can’t even remember how many times I’ve been beaten by settlers, they broke my teeth.”
Mahharza Family
Ahmed’s son, Yamen, looks through the rubble of his recently demolished home to bring items to the tents, and cave where they will now sleep.
Ikram (left) and Karam (right) sleep in the bed of a tractor after being displaced from their home.
The family now returns to sleep in the tents and a cave after their home was demolished by Israel Border Police the previous day.
A torn Israeli flag is seen on the road to the Mahharza residence in the South Hebron Hills of the West Bank placed by settlers from an outpost (illegal settlement) nearby.
Nawaja Family
Israeli Border Police stand guard as they demolish Mahmud’s home.
On June 4th, Mahmud Jibril Nawaja, his wife, and eight children were forced out their homes when the Israel Border Police carried out an order to demolish the residence. Mahmud worked construction his whole life, saving 250,000 shekels ($67,000 USD) to build their home. Two months into the construction in 2022, the Israeli Civil Administration deemed the house unauthorized and after a long legal battle Mahmud lost his home. During the demolition soldiers struck him with the end of their rifle, in which he fainted and was eventually taken to the hospital by an ambulance.
Israel Border Police clear the area as they prepare to demolish Mahmud’s home.
Members of the community in Jawaya immediately gather materials to assemble a temporary shelter for the Nawaja family.
Mahmud poses for a portrait while standing next to a pile of rubble that used to be his home in Jawaya of the South Hebron Hills.
Mahmud fixes an olive tree with his son Anan outside a shed on his property that will be his temporary shelter. He states, “ This is my land, I have the right to build a shelter for my children on my property.” When asked what he will do now, Mahmut replied, “ All my life dreams collapsed in front of my eyes… we are waiting for God, we have no plan.”
Samamarah Family
Fares Samamarah can be seen with three of his sons in the village of Shaweki, where they have relocated after Zanuta. The family now sleeps in the shed.
The Samamarah family has lived in Zanuta for generations before the creation of Israel in 1948. Fares Samamarah, the father of the family describes how the settlers around Zanuta were not so violent until Yinon Levi arrived in the area in 2020. Yinon Levi is one of four settlers who were sanctioned by the US and Israeli governments, freezing their bank accounts and banning entry into the United States. Since Levi arrived, settlers have been encroaching on Samamarah’s land, eventually building an outpost (illegal settlement) nearby. After Oct 7th, the settlers made living conditions unbearable by damaging resident’s homes, blocking grazing lands, and beating members of the community. After 21 days of constant harassment, the community of Zanuta collectively decided to leave due to safety concerns. “ Before Oct 7th, it never came to my mind that I would leave Zanuta”, states Fares Samamarah. In total, 27 families in Zanuta, over 250 residents, were displaced.
Fares’s son, Ali (10 years old) can be seen taking a donkey through their land. The family are farmers and like many families in the South Hebron Hills grazing sheep is a major part of their livelihood.
Fares Samamarah with his son, Othman (6 years old), sit in a shed where the family now sleeps. Fares had 21 people in his family in Zanuta. The family is now divided, half of them living in Shaweki, and the other half in a different village. Even in Shaweki, the family receives continued harassment by the same settlement. Settlers recently kidnapped one of his sons, Ismael, and took him to an outpost where they threatened his life. Despite the harassment, Fares states, “From here we will not leave, I already regret the day we left Zanuta. We lost one home, even if they slaughter us from this home, we will not leave. “
Fares Samamarah’s son, Jibril, was recently attacked by the same settlers that displaced him and his family from Zanuta. Jibril was grazing his family’s sheep on the afternoon of May 30th when four armed settlers surrounded him. He describes how they beat him with the back of their rifles to the ground, removed his shoes, belt, and phone, and starting beating him with his own belt. Jibril states, “ they put a knife to my throat and were shouting I will slaughter you. All I could think about was I am going to die.”
The family prays at night before before going to sleep in the shed that is their new home.