On the outskirts of the village of Deir Dibwan, east of Ramallah, a modern educational edifice was planned to rise, combining investment ambition with a national mission. The school, designed by Palestinian-American investor Abdul Jawad, aimed to serve Palestinian students and returning community members from the United States, providing a comprehensive educational environment with advanced sports facilities and playgrounds.
However, this educational dream, which cost nearly $5 million, collided with a bitter reality imposed by continuous settler attacks in the area. Settlers set up a settlement tent near the construction site and began a series of attacks that included stealing building materials and school contents, turning the project into a daily confrontation zone.
Sources reported that investor Abdul Jawad, who usually resides in California, was forced to leave his life there and return to the West Bank to oversee his threatened project. Abdul Jawad confirmed that the scale of the attacks prompted him to change the school's engineering plans, shifting the focus from open spaces to building high walls and tightening security measures.
The investor explained that the school, which was supposed to be a beacon of knowledge, now requires round-the-clock strict guarding and a security fence surrounding it. He pointed out that settler attacks were not limited to theft but also led to the displacement of some residents who lived in the area surrounding the educational project.
The crisis is exacerbated by the investor's loss of access to his entire 16-dunum land, as restrictions and attacks prevent him from utilizing more than 10 dunums. This reality has made the project owner feel that his school might turn into something resembling a prison due to the forced protection measures imposed by the settlement reality.
The case of the Deir Dibwan school is not an isolated incident but part of a growing pattern targeting the properties of Palestinian expatriates in areas north of Ramallah. Human rights activists confirm that settlers exploit the absence of landowners abroad to carry out systematic seizures and change facts on the ground under the protection of occupation forces.
In this context, lawyer Yasser Alqam from the town of Turmus Ayya revealed that he is following hundreds of legal files related to the seizure of lands belonging to Palestinian citizens holding American nationality. Alqam explained that these cases reflect the extent of the widespread targeting faced by expatriates who decided to invest in their homeland.
Despite dozens of official complaints submitted to the American Embassy and the State Department in Washington, the results are still absent on the ground. Legal experts indicate that the lack of effective international response encourages settlers to continue their attacks against the properties of citizens holding foreign nationalities.
These pressures have led some expatriates to make fateful decisions to return permanently to protect their families and properties, as is the case with citizen Zaher, who returned from Georgia. Zaher, who lived a stable life in the United States, decided to stay in the town of Turmus Ayya to be close to his daughter and grandchildren after the danger of settlers approached their home.
These stories in the villages and towns of Ramallah paint a picture of a battle of steadfastness fought by Palestinian expatriates to preserve their existence and connection to the land. Between struggling educational projects and confiscated lands, the biggest challenge remains how to protect private property amidst escalating settlement policies that spare no one.
The project, which was supposed to include playgrounds and swimming pools, now needs a fence and guards day and night to protect it from settler attacks.
شارك برأيك
Expatriate Investments Under Settlement Fire: A $5 Million School Becomes a Barracks to Protect Itself in Ramallah