In late January 2025, Israeli authorities escalated efforts to push an entire Palestinian village at the southeastern edge of Jerusalem out of existence. On January 26, 2025, stop-work orders, often the first step before demolitions, were delivered to every home and even the mosque in Khallet al-Nu‘man, a small Palestinian village. The village, which Israeli authorities renamed Mazmuriyya, after a nearby archaeological site, sits at the city’s edge and is home to around 150 Palestinians, including 40 children (see Israel Increasing Efforts to Expel Jerusalem's Palestinian Villages).
Established nearly a century ago, the village was unilaterally incorporated into expanded city boundaries by Israel in 1967 when it occupied the West Bank (including East Jerusalem—see What Is Jerusalem?). But in a calculated move, Israel never recognized its residents as East Jerusalemites, denying them ID cards, rights, and access. Since 1993, the villagers have faced increasing isolation, sealed off from their surroundings and unable to access either the rest of East Jerusalem or the rest of the West Bank. The situation worsened with the completion of the Separation Wall and the Mazmuriyya checkpoint in the early 2000s, turning the village into a trapped enclave.1
This short documentary follows Jamal al-Dara’awi and other residents as they speak of daily life under siege, cut off, harassed, and punished for simply existing. They reflect on the toll of decades of restrictions, home demolitions, and the absence of any planning support from the Jerusalem Municipality.
This video is a sobering look at the many tactics Israel uses to pressure Palestinians into leaving spaces where Israel claims sovereignty. Khallet al-Nu‘man is just one example of a much broader labyrinthine set of policies, all of which share the same goal: Judaizing the city.
Learn more: Forcible Home Expulsions