Masafer Yatta is in Area C of the West Bank, where Israel has total civil and military control. For decades, the Israeli military has claimed much of the region as a “firing zone.” They were prevented from forcibly evacuating the villages by an ongoing legal case. But last spring, Israel’s High Court of Justice issued its final ruling — in favor of the military and against the Palestinians.
Since then, the people of Masafer Yatta have been waiting for the other shoe to drop. And two weeks ago, the army informed Palestinian officials that they would soon begin carrying out the forced transfer of more than a thousand people — a war crime, according to international law, now authorized by Israeli courts.
We featured Ali Awad on Unsettled just before and after last year’s court decision. You can still go back to listen to those episodes; called “The Campaign to Save Masafer Yatta” and “Playgrounds for the Military.” We asked Ali to explain what’s happening now.
Unsettled is made by Emily Bell, Max Freedman, and Ilana Levinson, with support from Asaf Calderon. Music from Blue Dot Sessions. You can follow Ali Awad on Instagram @ali_awad98.