Arab al-najada: On a barren hill east of Yatta, south of Hebron, lies the village of Arab al-Najada, seemingly outside of time. This small Bedouin village faces alone the weight of the Israeli enemy and the brutality of the settlers, while layers of deprivation and marginalization pile upon its inhabitants, burdening their days and stealing their childhoods.
According to Yemen News Agency, Salim al-Najada, head of the al-Najada village council, describes the reality of his village, home to more than 1,230 people from the Ka'abneh clan. Speaking to the Palestinian news agency Safa, his voice heavy with anguish, he says, 'The attacks by the settlers and the Israeli enemy army have not stopped. Our lives have become a living hell.'
The village, whose history dates back to the Ottoman and British periods, stands today almost completely isolated after part of its land fell within the borders of the occupied territories of 1948. This has made it a restricted area, surrounded by what the Israeli enemy calls 'nature reserves' and 'military zones.'
Residents confirm that they have never known a day without a night raid or a surprise incursion. An army camp established by the enemy near the village's borders has completely altered the landscape of life: raids, arrests targeting minors, house searches and destruction of property, and the harassment of shepherds on their own land.
The head of the council recalls a painful incident that occurred months ago: 'Settlers stole 20 camels from the village. They left us with nothing.' The farmers of Arab al-Najada cannot freely access their lands. Settlements and illegal outposts encircle the village and swallow up what little land remains.
Every time farmers take their sheep out to graze, they face intimidation, arrests, and exorbitant fines that can reach 5,000 shekels, while their flocks are confiscated before their very eyes. The residents lack the most basic necessities: no sewage system, no roads, no transportation, and no proper health center.
The children walk 3 kilometers to reach their schools on the edge of the village, constantly exposed to the risk of settler attacks or Israeli army gunfire. "We are living in tragic conditions," says village headman Youssef al-Najada bitterly. "We can barely meet our needs. Even accessing our land has become a dream."
The villagers do not hide their anger at the absence of Palestinian institutions. Agricultural projects, protection, land fencing, electricity, and water-all demands have met only with empty promises. "We have submitted dozens of requests, and we haven't received a single project to protect our land," says the head of the council.
Amidst this pressure and threat, the residents of Arab al-Najada stand firm, defying their fear. The Israeli enemy, as the village headman says, is trying to 'forcibly displace us.' But the final word was clear: 'We will not leave the village. and if they demolish our homes, we will rebuild them.'
Despite the siege, raids, deprivation, and marginalization that the people of Arab al-Najada endure, they insist on remaining on their land, as if they are hanging on this hill the words of their ancestors: 'He who leaves his land leaves his soul behind.'