‘They took our toilet’: How a settlement has squeezed a Palestinian village

The Palestinian community of Masafer Yatta in the southern West Bank faces mounting pressure from Israeli military operations and settler expansion. In the village of Umm al-Khair, a newly established illegal outpost—an extension of the nearby Carmel settlement created in September—has been positioned approximately 20 metres from residential homes, effectively cutting off villagers from surrounding agricultural land.

The al-Hathaleen family, who live in a modest metal-roofed structure with eight children, has experienced severe disruption to their daily routines. Previously, family members could freely access their livestock enclosure to feed, water, and milk their sheep, and allow them to graze. Since the outpost's establishment, access has become sporadic and heavily restricted. According to accounts from the family, they were initially barred for four consecutive days, then permitted a single supervised visit with Israeli soldiers present, followed by additional two-day blockades. By July, the family had managed only three visits to check on their animals.

Beyond livestock management, the family's sanitation infrastructure has also been compromised. A freestanding bathroom structure located metres from their home was rendered largely inaccessible after settlers placed obstacles—including barbed wire and playground equipment—near its entrance in early July. The Israeli military subsequently declared the area a closed military zone, forcing the family to rely on a neighbour's toilet instead. Reaching this alternative facility requires crossing a road frequented by settler vehicles, a route that has proven dangerous; the family's five-year-old daughter was struck by a vehicle on this road in August of the previous year.

For the family, these restrictions represent more than logistical inconvenience; they underscore a broader challenge to maintaining basic dignity and normal living conditions within their own home.