Activist Resources
Photo Exhibit: “Threatened villages – 6 years of struggle”

A powerful photo exhibit illustrates the reality and struggle of the Palestinian villages threatened by the Wall and the Bedouin communities within the context of the ongoing Nakba. 36 photos, including captions.

To preview the exhibit, see below.
To obtain the hi-res photos of the exhibit and captions, please contact us at global@stopthewall.org

Above: Barta’a, Jenin district (2004): Barta’a is one of the villages that has been isolated between the Wall and the Green Line, cutting it off from the West Bank. 5 villages, with a total 4,992 residents, have been isolated in this northern ghetto: Dhahr el-Maleh, Um el-Riham, Khirbet Sheikh Sa’id, Thahr el-Abed and east Barta’a.

Above: Barta’a, Jenin district (2004): Occupation machinery razes a business while soldiers prevent Palestinians from reaching their property. Villages located along the Wall have lost massive amounts of property, including land, homes and business. In Barta’a alone, 75 homes and businesses have been demolished to date. Isolated population centres do not recover from the initial shock, with their inhabitants usually remaining in poverty.

Above: Dhahr el-Maleh, Jenin district (2007): An Occupation gate controls the entrance and exit of Dhahr el-Maleh. These gates are installed at the entrances to a number of isolated ghettos.

Above: Nazlat ‘Isa, northern Tulkarm district (2003): Occupation forces raze the entire commercial centre in Nazlat ‘Isa, levelling some 200 shops. Nazlat ‘Isa was a central commercial centre before the construction of the Wall, attracting both investors and customers from both sides of the Green Line. With the destruction of the entire commercial centre, 97% of population of Nazlat ‘Isa became unemployed.

Above: Nazlat ‘Isa, northern Tulkarm district (2003): Palestinians leave the destroyed area with what few possessions they have left. The aim of the Wall and its associated system of checkpoints, military orders and confiscations is to create conditions in which Palestinians are forced to leave their lands. Currently, the areas under immediate threat lie along the Green Line and in the Jordan Valley.

Above: Nazlat ‘Isa, northern Tulkarm district (2007): The Wall in Nazlat ‘Isa cuts off 10 homes from the rest of the village. In almost every district, the Wall has isolated homes or businesses west of the Wall.

Above: Khirbet Jbarah, southern Tulkarm district (2008): This military gate controls the only exit and entrance into Khirbet Jbarah. Only those residents with “Khirbet Jbarah” written on their IDs may enter the village; all others must apply for special permits. These permits are nearly impossible to obtain, effectively cutting Jbarah off from the West Bank.

Above: Qalqilya city, Qalqilya district (2004): A horse grazes near the Apartheid Wall in Qalqilya. The Qalqilya district has been the hardest hit by the Wall, which winds back and forth throughout the area. Along with Qalqilya city, which is surrounded by the Wall from three sides, a number of population centres are under serious threat.

Above: ‘Arab ar-Ramadin, Qalqilya district (2006): The standard homes of ‘Arab ar-Ramadin. Like Izbit at-Tabib, the people ‘Arab ar-Ramadin face imminent displacement. ‘Arab ar-Ramadin is a Bedouin village and it’s inhabitants are not recognized by the Occupation.

Above: Izbit at-Tabib, Qalqilya district (2007): A man crosses a barrier in Izbit at-Tabib. The Occupation has blocked in the residents of the Izbit at-Tabib by setting up dirt and concrete barriers on all access roads, making movement in and out of the village incredibly difficult. Izbit at-Tabib is one of the 14 villages facing imminent expulsion. More than half of the village buildings have standing demolition orders.

Above: Road from Habla to Qalqilya, Qalqilya district (2007): A settler road forms an overpass, creating a gate that can be easily closed by the Occupation. This one of two entrances to Qalqilya city; with relative ease Occupation forces can close off the entire population centre from the West Bank.

Above: Budrus, Ramallah district (2002): Ruined olive trees litter the path of the Wall in Budrus. Budrus is one of the 8 villages in the west Ramallah ghetto that will be surrounded on three sides by the Wall and tightly controlled on the fourth side. The other villages are Ni’lin, Qibya, Shuqba, Shabtin, Deir Qaddis, Midya and Rantis.

Above: Qibya, Ramallah district (2002): The beginnings of the Wall cut across Qibya land. Qiyba is the largest village in the western ghetto, with a population just over 5,000.

Above: Ni’lin, Ramallah district (2008): Soldiers fire on a popular demonstration against the Apartheid Wall that is being constructed on Ni’lin land. As of July 2008, two youths have been martyred in Ni’lin. Ahmed Mousa, age 12, was shot once in the head with a live round on July 29. Yousif Amira was shot twice in the head with rubber bullets the next day at Ahmed Mousa’s funural. He fell into a coma and died on August 4.

Above: Biddu, Jerusalem district (2004): Funeral procession for 24 year old Diya' Abd el-Kareem Eid, martyred while protesting against the construction of the Wall. In three villages, Occupation forces have employed a practice of targeting youth and young men in an attempt to break local resistance. Soldiers assassinated two other young men in Biddu, also in 2004. In 2005, three boys were murdered in Beit Liqya. In 2008, two were martyred in Ni’lin.

Above: Ni’lin, Ramallah district (2008): A local youth holds a Palestinian flag at a demonstration against the Wall. Despite murders, closures and arrests, the people of Ni’lin continue nearly daily demonstrations and confrontations with Occupation soldiers.

Above: Biddu, Jerusalem district (2004): Youth in Biddu hurl stones at Occupation forces the day following the death of Diya’ Abd el-Kareem Eid.

Above: Sawahira, Jerusalem district (2004): The Wall snaking through Sawahira Abu Dis, isolating homes on the west (right). The homes on the east of the Wall (left side) are all under demolition orders. Like many population centres in the Jerusalem district, Sawahira has been cut off from the historic city by both the Wall and the settlement envelope around Jerusalem.

Above: Abu Dis, Jerusalem district (2004): The Wall isolates the Jerusalem teacher’s compound. The compound, originally built to serve as affordable housing for teachers working in Jerusalem, was paid for by the Jerusalem Teacher’s Union. The structure is now not only isolated from the city, but facing demolition.

Above: Bir Nabala, Jerusalem district (2008): A settler road that serves to isolate Bir Nabala. The Wall and settler roads have cut Palestinian roads, forcing residents to take longer routes while providing settlers easy access to Jerusalem. In Bir Nabala the 2 kilometer journey to Ar-Ram is now 14 kilometers. This has created serious economic problems, with a majority of businessmen pulling their investments out of the area.

Above: Bir Nabala, Jerusalem district (2008): A home that fell too close to the Wall’s seam zone lies in ruins. Bir Nabala, along with al-Jib, al-Jadeira and old Beit Hanina, are all part of a northern ghetto. All villages were part of the Jerusalem municipality prior to 1967. Following 1967, the Occupation redrew the municipal borders, excluding many built up Palestinian areas so as to affect the demographic balance. The Wall has finished this project, physically sealing these communities off from the city.

Above: Abu Dis, Jerusalem district (2008): Two youth from ‘Arab Jahalin sit near their homes in Abu Dis near the Ma’ale Adummim settlement. The homes of the Jahalin fall within the expansion zone of the settlement and as such they face imminent eviction and displacement.

Above: Husan, Bethlehem district (2004): Men from Husan sit on a hilltop at the edge of the village. Husan, along with Battir and Wadi Fukin, is isolated between the Wall and the Betar Illit, Newe Daniyyel and Gilo settlements. Not only has most of the village land been confiscated, but also as of June 2008 the Occupation has issued demolition orders for 8 separate business establishments in the village, further wrecking the economy.

Above: al-Walaja, Bethlehem district (2004): A view of the 1948 Palestine and old Walaja. The buildings pictured, located west of the Green Line, are built on top of old Walaja. In 1948, the residents were expelled and rebuilt Walaja further south. Today, the people of Walaja are under threat of expulsion, this time from the Wall and the nearby settlements of Gilo and Har Gilo.

Above: al-Walaja, Bethlehem district (2004): A demolished home in the ‘Ayn Jwaiza neighbourhood in Walaja. This Walaja neighbourhood was annexed to the Jerusalem municipality in 1967. However, the inhabitants of the area were not recognized. Demolitions began in the 1980’s, with 18 homes demolished to date.