West Bank villagers return to shattered Zanuta with keys but no homes

Settler attacks forced Palestinians out of Zanuta. They’ve now returned, but aren’t allowed to rebuild.

Zanuta, occupied West Bank – When the villagers of Zanuta fled their homes last year, chased out by Israeli settler attacks, they took their keys with them.

For the 300 or so days that they spent living in tents in al-Dhaheriya, about 30km (19 miles) away, they kept their keys, in the hope that they would be able to return to their homes.

On August 21, after a legal battle, some villagers did return. But their keys were of no use. Instead, the sight that greeted them was a reminder of the precarious nature of life for Palestinians in the occupied West Bank, particularly in areas under the direct control of Israel.

“When we returned, we thought that we would be happy,” explained Muhammed al-Tal, a 23-year-old villager, whose family has lived in Zanuta for generations. “But we were shocked by the sight of demolished and burned homes and devastation everywhere.”

“We carried the keys to our homes and they remained a sign of hope for us, that we would return,” he said. “We were able to return, but we did not find houses or doors for the keys that we carried.”