DarkMatterDuck
Well-known member
A week after a supposed ceasefire, life in the occupied West Bank has become an unrelenting nightmare. The brutal occupation continues unabated, with settlers and soldiers attacking Palestinian farmers and their land on a daily basis. Since October 7th, there have been over 7,000 attacks by Israeli settlers on Palestinians and their property - some of which have been deadly. Almost 1,000 Palestinians have lost their lives, including 212 children, while more than 10,000 have been displaced.
As I navigate the city of Rawabi north of Ramallah, I'm constantly reminded of the suffocating grip of occupation. Every trip outside my home can turn into a grueling ordeal as I'm stuck at checkpoints for hours, unable to complete even the simplest tasks. The four iron gates and military tower between Rawabi and Ramallah have become a constant source of frustration, slowing down an already impossible commute.
The construction of Israeli barriers has made life in the West Bank almost impossible. There are over 900 barriers in place, with many more being constructed, disrupting every aspect of daily life - from family visits to medical care, school attendance, and transportation of goods. Palestinians are denied access to Jerusalem, their holy city, where freedom of worship is a distant memory.
Even at night, the occupation shows no mercy. Palestinian homes can be raided by Israeli soldiers, with families terrorized and detained without charge. Neighbors are also subject to tear gas attacks for no reason, further exacerbating the suffering.
The right to a normal life - to worship, spend quality time with loved ones, move freely, access regular medical care and education - is all but extinguished in the West Bank. The Israeli government's continued pursuit of annexation has accelerated since October 7th, with seizures of land totaling over 12,300 acres in just two years.
Settlement construction is a calculated effort to encircle Palestinian villages and towns, thwarting any semblance of geographical continuity between territories. The natural resources of the West Bank, including water, are also being exploited by Israel to maintain its settlement expansion.
For Palestinians, this has meant dependence on Israeli water companies, with quotas that are woefully inadequate for densely populated areas. Palestinians are forced to buy extra water at exorbitant prices, while wells and rainwater tanks are often attacked and destroyed.
The seizure of Area C, an area established by the Oslo Accords where Israel has full control, is imminent. This would mean razing Palestinian villages and communities, leading to a mass displacement towards Area A, which constitutes just 18% of the West Bank. The process of forced expulsion has already begun with Bedouin communities in the two areas.
This is our reality - one of harassment, intimidation, dispossession, and killing. Decades of occupation have been marked by rejection of political solutions and a policy of controlling land, people, and resources. It's clear that true peace can only be achieved when Israel acknowledges its occupation and ends it once and for all.
As I navigate the city of Rawabi north of Ramallah, I'm constantly reminded of the suffocating grip of occupation. Every trip outside my home can turn into a grueling ordeal as I'm stuck at checkpoints for hours, unable to complete even the simplest tasks. The four iron gates and military tower between Rawabi and Ramallah have become a constant source of frustration, slowing down an already impossible commute.
The construction of Israeli barriers has made life in the West Bank almost impossible. There are over 900 barriers in place, with many more being constructed, disrupting every aspect of daily life - from family visits to medical care, school attendance, and transportation of goods. Palestinians are denied access to Jerusalem, their holy city, where freedom of worship is a distant memory.
Even at night, the occupation shows no mercy. Palestinian homes can be raided by Israeli soldiers, with families terrorized and detained without charge. Neighbors are also subject to tear gas attacks for no reason, further exacerbating the suffering.
The right to a normal life - to worship, spend quality time with loved ones, move freely, access regular medical care and education - is all but extinguished in the West Bank. The Israeli government's continued pursuit of annexation has accelerated since October 7th, with seizures of land totaling over 12,300 acres in just two years.
Settlement construction is a calculated effort to encircle Palestinian villages and towns, thwarting any semblance of geographical continuity between territories. The natural resources of the West Bank, including water, are also being exploited by Israel to maintain its settlement expansion.
For Palestinians, this has meant dependence on Israeli water companies, with quotas that are woefully inadequate for densely populated areas. Palestinians are forced to buy extra water at exorbitant prices, while wells and rainwater tanks are often attacked and destroyed.
The seizure of Area C, an area established by the Oslo Accords where Israel has full control, is imminent. This would mean razing Palestinian villages and communities, leading to a mass displacement towards Area A, which constitutes just 18% of the West Bank. The process of forced expulsion has already begun with Bedouin communities in the two areas.
This is our reality - one of harassment, intimidation, dispossession, and killing. Decades of occupation have been marked by rejection of political solutions and a policy of controlling land, people, and resources. It's clear that true peace can only be achieved when Israel acknowledges its occupation and ends it once and for all.
...and have you seen the checkpoints lately? It's like they're trying to win some kind of award for most creative excuse to slow down traffic 
. And don't even get me started on the settlers and soldiers - I mean, can't they just chill? All these attacks on farmers and their land are just heartbreaking 
...and what's with the water situation? It's like they're trying to strangle us or something 
. Just can't believe how unfair it all is 
.
the situation in the west bank is so harsh 
, i can imagine navigating through rawabi with those checkpoints all the time 
. 10,000+ ppl displaced is crazy 
. and the barrier construction is insane 
, i mean who does that? it's like they're trying to fragment our society and create a permanent division between us 
, not just empty promises and more checkpoints 
. It's not like this can be ignored anymore, we need concrete action from world leaders to stop Israel's annexation plans 
. The occupation is suffocating all aspects of life, from basic human rights to economic opportunities . I mean, who needs water or access to their own land when there are Israeli companies making millions off of it? 
The numbers don't lie: 212 children killed and over 10,000 displaced . Can we please wake up and demand change already?! 
but til then we'll just be stuck in this cycle of violence 
no one's doing anything about it. we need to speak up and demand change, like now! 
. And the checkpoints? Forget about it... people should be able to move around freely without being treated like they're some kind of prisoner 
.
. The Palestinians have the right to live their lives and worship in peace, but no... they're constantly being denied access to Jerusalem 
.
. I mean, 12,300 acres of land seized? That's a lot of territory to be taken away from people who are already living in poverty and hardship 
. The Palestinians deserve dignity and respect, just like everyone else 
. We can't keep sitting back and letting this situation escalate