Report: “A feeling that cannot be explained”: in the West Bank, the emotion of Palestinians who return to their village after being driven out by Israeli settlers

About twenty families had fled their hamlet because of repeated harassment by some Israeli settlers. Their return is a mixture of relief and pain.

In Khirbeit Zanuta, there were tears, signs of victory among some Palestinians, half-hearted smiles among others, surveying the damage. For the first time since October 2023, the 20 families of this small hamlet south of Yatta, in the Hebron region of the occupied West Bank, were able to return to their land.

They had been chased away by Israeli settlers from the surrounding area who constantly harassed them. Attacks that became unbearable after October 7, mixed with a spirit of revenge. After a court decision that has already been rejected, the Palestinians were finally able to return to the site on Wednesday, August 21.

Led by their shepherds, four herds of goats and sheep cross the road and head towards the village of Zanuta. At least, what is left of it. Hassan BaTal, a 43-year-old resident, returned first thing in the morning. His eyes are misty: he has just hugged an olive tree and points to some old stones behind him.

“This is my home. And today is a day of joy, a feeling that cannot be explained. Congratulations to all of us, back here. It is thanks to God. All the families, all those who lived here will return. Fear of the settlers? Too bad.”

“Whether we are here in Zanuta, in Dahariyeh, in Hebron, or even in Israel, the fear and the risk will be the same.”

Hassan BaTal, a resident of the occupied West Bank

to franceinfo

It has been ten months since he last came back here and he lived in Dahariyeh, on land he rented. But after the joy comes the contrast, the awareness when inspecting the place. The small school in Zanuta, financed by the European Union, was burned by settlers and then reduced to rubble after the bulldozers passed through. There is also the more or less significant damage to the plots of land of some and others.

Mustafa Al-Tell paces between his uprooted, dry and clean-cut olive trees. “The settlers came ten days ago and cut down my 45 trees. And there were eggplant plants. There’s nothing left.” He says that here it was “his little farm”.

“I took my children, my wife, we came here to work. Why did the settlers also steal my olives? ? Isn’t that indecent? ? This is my land, it was the apple of my eye.” But Mustafa assures him that he will work as hard as he can to restore it.