Struggle for Survival: West Bank's Bedouin Communities Under Siege

Fatima Abu Naim and her family live in a West Bank cave amid escalating tensions with settlers who seek to expel Bedouin communities. As Israeli settlements expand, Bedouins face harassment and loss of livelihood. The situation worsens with the support settlers receive, leaving many struggling to sustain themselves.

In the occupied West Bank, Fatima Abu Naim, a mother of five, navigates daily challenges in her hillside cave home, facing mounting pressure from Jewish settlers intent on driving her family away. Incidents of harassment, including theft of livestock, have intensified since the Gaza conflict erupted 18 months ago.

The plight of Bedouin and herding communities has drawn international attention, with a United Nations report documenting numerous settler attacks. These assaults, characterized by arson and vandalism, have devastated essential livelihood sources. Despite the gravity of the situation, the Israeli police have not provided responses to address these incidents.

Decades of conflict over the West Bank continue as Israeli settlements, deemed illegal by much of the international community, proliferate across the region. With ongoing government support, settlers have claimed substantial land for grazing, pushing indigenous communities to the brink of displacement. The Bedouins, significantly affected, find themselves struggling to sustain their pastoral way of life.

(With inputs from agencies.)