Um al Kher in the West Bank is suffocating

---

“Um al Kher,” a small Palestinian village in the West Bank, stands as a silent witness to a long struggle between bulldozers that demolish and an unyielding will to remain rooted in the land.

Located in the Masafer Yatta area, south of Hebron, the village — featured in the Oscar-winning documentary No Other Land — faces a new threat as residents brace for the arrival of Israeli military bulldozers.

The film documents the villagers’ perseverance in the face of demolitions carried out by Israeli authorities and increasing violence from settlers.

• War fatigue and internal pressure: Israel begins reducing its reserve forces

• Israeli Defense Minister Orders Destruction of Gaza Tunnels: There Will Be No Hamas

Residents say that Israel has issued demolition orders for fourteen structures, including a community center, a family home, and an agricultural greenhouse. According to Palestinian media, they warned in a village statement that demolitions could begin as soon as Tuesday.

Israel justifies these demolitions by claiming that the buildings were constructed without legal permits. The residents, however, argue that obtaining building permits in the West Bank is nearly impossible, forcing them to rebuild their homes after every demolition to stay on their land.

The UN Human Rights Office has warned that Israel’s demolition orders in southern Hebron risk triggering a new wave of forced displacement and violate international law, calling for an immediate halt to these actions.

• Eight Remain… Israel Reveals the Identities of Three Bodies Handed Over by Hamas

•  Secret U.S. Report: Hundreds of Israeli Violations in Gaza Under Investigation

Um al Kher: A brief overview

The village was established in the 1950s by Bedouin families displaced from the Negev Desert after the 1948 war that accompanied the creation of Israel.

Two decades later, it fell under Israeli control following the 1967 occupation of the West Bank.

Today, Um al Kher has around 200 residents. They report that settler violence began in the 1980s after the construction of the nearby Karmel settlement.

The village lies within “Area C,” a sparsely populated region that makes up about 60% of the West Bank and remains under full Israeli control.

• Israeli raids on Gaza: the heaviest loss of life in a single night since the ceasefire

• Faces and memories behind the numbers: Palestinian prisoners in Israeli jails

While Palestinian infrastructure in the area is frequently demolished, nearby illegal Israeli settlements continue to expand. UN experts have stated that such demolitions could constitute “war crimes.”

Since the Hamas attack on October 7, 2023, the situation has worsened. Settler violence, attacks, and acts of vandalism have escalated, forcing isolated villagers to flee to nearby towns.

Israeli army demolitions have also intensified.

Roughly three million Palestinians live in the West Bank alongside more than half a million Israelis in settlements deemed illegal under international law.

• Israeli Airstrikes on Lebanon’s Bekaa and North: Hezbollah Infrastructure and Missile Sites Targeted

• Gaza Truce: Israel identifies a body as U.S. diplomatic efforts intensify to sustain calm