In the words of the New York Times, 2023 is “a year with the deadliest start in the West Bank since 2000.”
The new extreme far-right Israeli government is giving a green light to settler street violence. As soldiers stood aside, some 400 settlers burned at least 200 buildings (plus cars) in four Palestinian villages and killed at least one Palestinian — adding to the 66 Palestinians killed since January 1.
This street violence comes on the heels of nightly military raids, home demolitions, and a call from Israeli ministers to strip Palestinians inside Israel of Israeli citizenship. All of this is connected to one thing. The government is pushing forward a plan to rapidly expand settlements in the West Bank — and one of their explicit targets is the villages of Masafer Yatta.
With their homes destroyed, Masafer Yatta’s residents have had to resort to living in the nearby caves. Their calls for justice have been joined by our partners, international solidarity activists, and other civil society groups organizing communities in the area. But just recently, around 1,200 villagers were notified they would soon receive demolition and eviction orders. This is one example of how the struggle for Palestinian rights and land is reaching a critical moment.
We’re raising money in solidarity with this village’s and others’ unyielding stand against violence and dispossession. Will you join us in this effort to support building homes for displaced families, to support the ongoing campaign against home demolitions, and to stand for justice in Palestine?