The Last Palestinian Families Are Forcefully Leaving the Al-Burj Bedouin Community in the Jordan Valley
Ongoing attacks by settlers have forced the last Palestinian families to abandon their homes in the Al-Burj Bedouin community in the Jordan Valley.
As settler attacks continue to escalate and international protection wanes, the forcible displacement of Palestinian families from Bedouin communities in the eastern West Bank is occurring at an alarming rate. According to Al Jazeera correspondent Tharwat Shaqra, persistent assaults have led to 15 remaining families being compelled to leave the Al-Burj Bedouin community due to targeted attacks on their tents and properties, some of which have been burned down, forcing families to dismantle their homes and depart the area. The residents have described the situation as having turned into a 'land of embers' after sustained aggression over the last two years, which they believe aims to drive them out and seize their land.
The report indicates that such attacks have contributed to the dismantling of several Bedouin communities in the Jordan Valley, leading to the complete expulsion of residents from seven communities, while thirteen others have experienced partial displacements. The remaining communities are at risk of similar fates at any moment, in a region that comprises roughly one-third of the West Bank and serves as a crucial agricultural area. The implications of this ongoing violence extend beyond immediate displacement, as the Bedouin populations face existential threats, with settlers poised to occupy the areas they leave behind.
For the families of the Al-Burj community, the struggle does not end with their departure, as they are left to witness settlers preparing to settle in their former homes while they search for shelter. This reflects a broader pattern of displacement and land seizure affecting vulnerable communities within the contested landscape of the West Bank, raising critical concerns about human rights and the sustainability of Palestinian existence in those territories.