seam zone

A Palestinian farmer stands beside an agricultural gate in the separation fence near Falamya village (Gate number 914), West Bank, May 17, 2015. Ahmad al-Bazz / Activestills.org

PHOTOS: When Israel decides to cut Palestinian farmers off from their land

The Israeli army decided last week to close the main gateway Palestinian farmers from four villages use to access their lands — which Israel cut them off from with the separation fence. After a protest the army re-opened the gate, but the incident shows how Israel controls every aspect of Palestinian life. Photos and Text:…

By Activestills May 19, 2015

Amira climbs next to the Separation Wall in order to see if Israeli soldiers have arrived to open the agricultural gate.

PHOTOS: Israel ‘punishes’ Ni’ilin activist, denies access to olive trees behind the wall

For being one of the leaders of Nil’in’s popular struggle against the wall, Muhammad Amira has been marked by military authorities and is consistently denied a permit to work his own lands – for unexplained ‘security reasons.’ Text by Haggai Matar Photos by Keren Manor/Activestills.org (This article has been updated) Meet Muhammad Amira from the…

By Activestills October 23, 2013

A Palestinian woman takes part in a demonstration against the Israeli army's permit regime, Bidu, West Bank, August 30, 2009. (Photo: Activestills.org)

A journey into the dark heart of Israel’s permit regime

Trapped between the separation barrier and the Green Line, Palestinians living in the ‘Seam Zone’ are forced to reckon with a Kafkaesque permit regime that appears designed to do one thing and one thing only: make them give up and leave. By Idan Landau, translated by Jordan Michaeli Israeli NGO Hamoked: Center for the…

By +972 Magazine October 7, 2013

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The Wall, 10 years on / part 12: Where do we go from here?

Ten years have passed since Israel started building the wall, probably the largest and most expensive construction project in its history, which does not seem to be going anywhere. For four months now I’ve been presenting its story, and now it is time to offer some breaking updates, look into the future, and conclude. The…

By Haggai Matar August 10, 2012

The Wall, 10 years on / Part 3: An acre here and an acre there

When brought before the High Court, the state promised villagers free access to their lands through special gates to agricultural lands. As the years went by, the court and the public lost interest, the villagers’ rights were ignored and their will to fight the system depleted. Land is being deserted, waiting for new settlements to…

By Haggai Matar April 13, 2012