Settler Violence = State Violence
Widady a-Tahta (South Zanuta), South Hebron Hills: Another Palestinian community forcibly evicted from its place of residence
18 July 2023
On July 16-17, 2023, about 20 residents of the community of Widady a-Tahta in the South Hebron Hills abandoned their homes after repeated attacks by state-backed settlers and the establishment of an illegal Israeli outpost close to the community. This is the third community in the West Bank that has been forced to leave its homes in the last two months, following the communities of Ein Samia and Al-Baqaa in the Ramallah district. About a year ago, the Ras al-Tin community was also forced to leave its lands.
The communities leave only seemingly of their own volition, but this is forcible transfer in action, which is considered a war crime. Israel imposes impossible living conditions on the residents of the communities, which include no connection to infrastructure, the impossibility of any development, house demolitions, and army and settler violence. Dozens of other Palestinian communities in the West Bank are currently at risk of forcible transfer.
Photo Gallery: Life in Widady a-Tahta just before its forced eviction, by Faiz Abu Rmeleh, B'Tselem, 8 July 2023
