Photo from: The Israel Museum, Jerusalem
Stories of Palis
In 1948, Al-Malha was on the villages in west Jerusalem to sign non-aggression treaties with the zionist militias. However, everything has changed after the zionist militias broke the agreements and committed horrific massacres in the neighbouring villages, especially in Deir Yassin.
On April 12th, 1948 following the wake on Deir Yassin massacre where over 100 native Palestinians were murdered including women, children, and elderly-many of native Palestinians in Al-Malha have fled the village after panic and fear broke out. Eventually, the zionist militias attacked Al-Malha on July 14th, 1948 and completed ethnic cleansing of the native Palestinians.
The treacherous attack on Al-Malha and the neighbouring villages added Al-Malha to a long list of fully ethnically cleansed Palestinian villages. The houses remained, the trees remained, and the rocks remained, but who is residing in these houses and watching these trees has changed. Since I opened my eyes on this life, I could see the heartbreak and grift in my family’s eyes. It is hard, it is hard to visit your ancestral village with a permit, knock on the door of you childhood home, and a stranger opens the door instead of you.
Seventy-four years after, thousands of Palestinians originating from Al-Malha still live in the refugee camps in Bethlehem that is less than 5km away from their ancestral village. Although, they were forced to leave Al-Malha, Al-Malha has never left them until this day. Their eyes yearn for Al-Malha and their souls never stopped dwelling Al-Malha, hoping for the happily ever after to come.
Ali Salman
Third Generation
Al-Malha
Al-Malha is a village located in southwest Jerusalem. The village was built by the Canaanites around 2000 years BC. In 1948, Al-Malha was inhibited by ~2500 native Palestinians until their forced displacement after hundreds of generations living in this village.
Be sure to check out: Pali Fact (Issue 1) from the MUNPAL GAZETTE.