Mu'arrajat, a Palestinian community in the West Bank, was nearly entirely demolished or forcibly displaced due to actions by Israeli settlers and military. Aliya Milhat, a journalist and activist, described how her family and others were expelled at gunpoint, expressing shock and grief over their loss. Attempts by residents to return were thwarted after Israeli settlers ignited a home. The violence culminated from years of Israeli settlers' aggression, supported by government policies enabling settlement expansion in the region.
"My family and I were forced out under gun threats, along with all the families of the village. We cried over our beautiful days there, and we are still crying. We are in shock because we never deserved this. We are peaceful people who love life, simple and educated people, and we never imagined leaving our home this way."
Residents attempted to return to the village last week, after Israel's High Court ruled that the Israeli military must facilitate their return, but they were repelled by Israeli settlers who set fire to one of the remaining homes.
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