LAST UPDATE | 13 Sep
Recent weeks have seen the largest assault by Israeli forces on Palestinian cities and refugee camps in the West Bank in over 20 years, resulting in an unfolding humanitarian emergency and raising fears of the forced displacement of Palestinians from the territory.
The 13,000 residents of Nur Shams refugee camp near the city of Tulkarem in northern West Bank have been subjected to around 30 raids by Israeli forces since November last year. According to the Nur Shams Social Committee, these raids have resulted in the destruction of 170 homes, with more than 1,000 houses damaged. There has also been widespread destruction of key infrastructure in the camp, including roads, water points and sewage stations as well as the demolition of schools, shops and cultural centres.
Sara Alajmeh is a 20-year-old student of English who lives in Nur Shams refugee camp with her parents and her four siblings. Fearing their safety during the latest Israeli military raid, Sara and her family fled their home last week. Speaking to Christian Aid, she describes life for Palestinians in Nur Shams refugee camp…
THESE RAIDS BY the Israeli army are totally different to what we have ever seen before. In the past they would come, arrest someone and leave, but now the raids last two, three or even four days.
Now, when they come, they demolish our homes. The houses are destroyed by bulldozers. We know the level of destruction by looking at the type of bulldozer. We now know the difference between a Caterpillar D9 and a Caterpillar D10 bulldozer. Smaller bulldozers can move around the camps and are used to destroy part of a building, but the bigger bulldozers can destroy whole buildings.
The Israeli army used bulldozers to destroy all the shops on the main street in Nur Shams. Anyone who had a shop or a restaurant had their business destroyed. They target anyone who is successful in the camp.
Four of my relatives were neighbours, but their homes were destroyed, and they had to leave. They are renting homes in nearby villages or in the centre of Tulkarem. Everyone who has their homes destroyed has to leave the camp.
We finally fled our home because the last raid was so scary. We only had an hour to prepare, and we only left with our ID, a few clothes and some food.
The Israeli forces say that they are destroying our homes as punishment. They target the homes of civilians to make us fight amongst ourselves and make the camp unliveable. What the IDF is saying to us is that if you leave the camp we will leave you alone but if you stay then we will destroy your home.
When we see soldiers arriving in buses, we know that they will enter houses. Three invasions ago, we had soldiers enter our home. They were only in our home for 30 minutes, but they still destroyed everything they could. They turned everything upside down and tore apart my books.
The soldiers attacked anything that celebrated our nationality or showed that we love our country, like tearing the maps of Palestine that we had on the wall. They laughed as they did it and made jokes. They said ‘Oh be careful of the TV’ and then they destroyed our TV. I wasn’t even scared at that moment, I was just too angry.
At least the soldiers didn’t have dogs with them. Mostly when Israeli soldiers enter people’s homes they come with dogs, which are really scary and often attack people.
I have an autistic brother who is 17, and I am very scared for him. I don’t speak Hebrew and the soldiers won’t speak English with me, so it is hard to explain that he has special needs and that he can not be taken away along with other men. My father has broken Hebrew and managed to explain my brother’s situation. I am very scared my brother will be arrested, and I become more fearful as he gets older, and it becomes more dangerous for him.
I have to put my life in danger to travel to university in Nabulus because the journey takes longer because of new checkpoints and there is a risk of attack by settlers. There are settlements close by, but we try and only travel when we know that they are not on the roads. I only go to university two days a week now.
The most pressing need now for people is food. We know we have to store food in case of another invasion, but food is very expensive. The next thing we need is water because the infrastructure has been destroyed There is also terrible unemployment, even those still able to work don’t get their salaries. People are worried that this will never end.
What makes the current situation different is that so many Palestinian refugee camps and cities are being targeted at the same time. This is what has made me so scared. Because everyone is struggling at the same time it means we can’t go and support other areas that need help to rebuild or recover.
Two years ago, Nur Shams refugee camp was one of the safest places to live. It’s a little bit far from the city and so we have hills and nature around us. This is what I really love about my camp. It’s really shocking for us what is happening. We never thought anything like this would ever happen to us.
Christian Aid’s local partner, the Agriculture Development Association – PARC, is helping to support some of those in need in Nur Shams refugee camp by providing fresh vegetables and drinking water. To support Christian Aid’s work in Gaza and the West Bank, visit: Gaza Appeal — Christian Aid Ireland.
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