Mondoweiss - On Sunday, one day before the Muslim holiday of Eid al-Adha, Palestinians from the Bab al-Shams local committee and the Fatah Youth Movement delivered toys to Bedouin children living in four unrecognized villages in the Jerusalem hills. The communities of Abu Nawar, Afhad Younis, al-Khan al-Ahmar and Nousra are located in and around Area E, a redline for no settlement construction by the Obama administration.

Still, the Israeli government is moving forward in a plan to evict Bedouins from their shantytowns where they are prohibited from constructing with permanent materials like concrete. In stark contrast to their living conditions, the settlement of Ma’ale Adumim can be seen in the background of the below images. White houses with red roofs and water tower paint the hilltops.  The proposed Bedouin relocation sites are in reservation-like housing adjacent to two of three official Palestinian Authority dump yards. Government plans show that Ma’ale Adumim intends on expanding into the Jerusalem hills once the Bedouins have been cleared.

Jahalin Bedouins originate from the Negev region of Southern Israel. After 1948, like nearly half of the Bedouin population inside of the newly created Jewish state, the Jahalin were forcibly moved off of their ancestral lands. Since the 1950s they have resided in the windswept hills outside of Jerusalem.

Photos by Allison Deger