Palestinians turn caves into homes after Israeli demolitions in West Bank

Palestinian herder Mohammed Emar has built a fully functional home for his family inside a cave in the occupied West Bank's Masafer Yatta, after the Israeli army demolished his two houses. The 33-year-old lives there with his two wives and 11 children. Three years after losing their homes above ground, rubble from the demolished houses still lies nearby.

Why are Palestinians turning caves into homes in Masafer Yatta?

Masafer Yatta sits almost entirely under Israeli military control under the 1990s Oslo Agreements, and Palestinian requests for building permits are rarely approved. When the army demolishes homes built without permits, families like the Emars turn to natural caves, which cannot be torn down the same way and let them remain on land they have lived on for generations.

How did Mohammed Emar turn a cave into a home?

Emar poured a smooth concrete floor across two caves' rough limestone ground and limewashed the brittle stone walls white. Solar panels supply electricity and a well provides water, turning the grotto into a livable home. His children now play on a patio built into the hillside, with his daughters singing Arabic songs on a karaoke machine.

Still, Emar misses life above ground. "We once lived in a house above ground, where you could see the world. But today, we live in an underground cave that resembles a grave," he said. On a ridge roughly 300 metres away, the Israeli settlement of Avigayil overlooks the cave, and Emar says some residents make life difficult for his family through occasional theft and attacks.

Why does Israel demolish Palestinian homes in the West Bank?

The Israeli army says construction is illegal in areas under its control, and Palestinians say their permit requests are almost systematically denied. Israel also sometimes demolishes homes to punish the families of Palestinians involved in attacks, though this was not the case for Emar. Masafer Yatta, the setting of the Oscar-winning documentary "No Other Land," is known for frequent demolitions and tensions between residents and settlers.

How do community ties help Palestinians rebuild after demolitions?

Fatima Emar, Mohammed's wife, said the family first pitched tents after their 2023-built houses were destroyed before moving into the cave. "Since it has existed since ancient times they cannot demolish it, and (the army) has allowed us to live there," she said. Neighbours and relatives also help families rebuild shelters after demolitions, a support system Emar credits for helping people stay close to one another.

Emar hopes Masafer Yatta's roughly 1,100 Palestinian residents can one day live safely in proper houses again. "While the world moves forward, we here in Palestine, in Masafer Yatta, are moving backwards," he said.