David Lombeida

Photojournalist

The Guardian: West Bank Settler Violence

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Location: Istanbul, Turkey

Nationality: United States/Ecuador

Biography: David Lombeida is an independent photographer and filmmaker who is currently based in Istanbul, documenting the effects of conflict, migration, and surviving trauma. His work has been featured in the Washington Post, The Guardian, Bloomberg,... MORE

Manel Shahada lives in the smal...ned the home, after the attack.

1 of 19 © 2024 David Lombeida

Manel Shahada lives in the small village of Qursa, outside Ramallah in the West Bank. Settlements have surrounded her land over the decades and recently attacked her home with her family inside. Manel stares out the broken window where settlers shot through the glass. Manel, and her three children have now abandoned the home, after the attack.

Ibrahim with his wife and daugh...e times after 1948 by settlers.

2 of 19 © 2024 David Lombeida

Ibrahim with his wife and daughter drink tea on the porch of their land. The family has also been displaced three separate times after 1948 by settlers.

Ibrahim lives with his wife, th...erty in the South Hebron Hills.

3 of 19 © 2024 David Lombeida

Ibrahim lives with his wife, three children, and extended family – 15 people in total. Settlers have always tried to encroach on their land, but Ibrahim states that “it’s never been like this.” On Oct 9th, settlers came to his property armed. They shot live rounds near his feet, then struck him to the ground with their assault rifles. His back was injured badly and the settlers wouldn’t let an ambulance access the road that leads to Ibrahem’s home. His family eventually carried him to the main road where he was able to get a ride to the hospital. The family can be scene starting their day on the property in the South Hebron Hills.

Ibrahim's shares a meal...mily in the South Hebron Hills.

4 of 19 © 2024 David Lombeida

Ibrahim's shares a meal with his extended family in the South Hebron Hills.

Ibrahim's wife prepares...mily in the South Hebron Hills.

5 of 19 © 2024 David Lombeida

Ibrahim's wife prepares bread in the morning for the family in the South Hebron Hills.

Ibrahim his wife prepares for t...ning of the South Hebron Hills.

6 of 19 © 2024 David Lombeida

Ibrahim his wife prepares for the day in the early morning of the South Hebron Hills.

An army outpost can be seen fro...settlers have setup a compound.

7 of 19 © 2024 David Lombeida

An army outpost can be seen from Ibrahim’s property. Directly behind Ibrahim’s home settlers have setup a compound.

Outside a residency in South He...used by both army and settlers.

8 of 19 © 2024 David Lombeida

Outside a residency in South Hebron Hills, a community has collected all the percussion/teargas canisters from settlers and the army. The canisters are supplied from the United States. An Israeli activist demonstrates the canisters used by both army and settlers.

Outside a residency in South He...used by both army and settlers.

9 of 19 © 2024 David Lombeida

Outside a residency in South Hebron Hills, a community has collected all the percussion/teargas canisters from settlers and the army. The canisters are supplied from the United States. An Israeli activist demonstrates the canisters used by both army and settlers.

Manel Shahada poses for a portr...ler when farming on their land.

10 of 19 © 2024 David Lombeida

Manel Shahada poses for a portrait at her relative’s home in Qursa where her and her children now live after being displaced by settlers and abandoning their home. Also, In 2017, Manel’s husband was killed by a settler when farming on their land.

Murad Ode was shot and wounded ...y the army and now by settlers.

11 of 19 © 2024 David Lombeida

Murad Ode was shot and wounded when he tried to help the Shahada family on the day of the attack. It’s his third time being shot, twice before by the army and now by settlers.

Manel grabs the remaining thing...n settlers ambushed the burial.

12 of 19 © 2024 David Lombeida

Manel grabs the remaining things she needs from the home to move in with her extended family. When the settlers attacked her home, a group of 50- 60 settlers came, shot into her home, cut the power lines, and set their car on fire. Residents came to help the family and 4 members of the community were killed and 20 other wounded. At the funeral, two more people were killed when settlers ambushed the burial.

After the attack on Manel&r...e killed in the funeral attack.

13 of 19 © 2024 David Lombeida

After the attack on Manel’s home, the village was trying to transport the bodies for a funeral ceremony of the victims when the army instructed them the main road was closed and to take an alternative route. When they arrived at this route, settlers ambushed the funeral convoy, killing two more people, and wounding several others. Abed Alhkim poses for a portrait in his home with a poster of his brother Ibrahim and nephew Ahmed on the wall who were killed in the funeral attack.

Halima and her husband Ahmed li...epare breakfast for the family.

14 of 19 © 2024 David Lombeida

Halima and her husband Ahmed live in small village in South Hebron Hills, with their two daughters, Ahmed’s brother and his wife. They have a tragically common history in the West Bank. After being displaced in 1948, the family through generations have continue to be displaced a total of four times. They now fear they will have to move once again. Halima takes the fresh bread she baked in the morning to prepare breakfast for the family.

Ahmed prays in the early mornin... Hebron Hills of the West Bank.

15 of 19 © 2024 David Lombeida

Ahmed prays in the early morning after sleeping in the flat-bed trailer outside to protect his family in the South Hebron Hills of the West Bank.

Ahmed takes his sheep out for g...ss and less land for his flock.

16 of 19 © 2024 David Lombeida

Ahmed takes his sheep out for grazing in the early morning of the South Hebron Hills. Settlers have made his usual grazing grounds challenging, give him less and less land for his flock.

Halima (far left) and her husba...are a breakfast in the morning.

17 of 19 © 2024 David Lombeida

Halima (far left) and her husband Ahmed live in small village in South Hebron Hills, with their two daughters, Ahmed’s brother and his wife. They share a breakfast in the morning.

Since the recent threats agains... Hebron Hills of the West Bank.

18 of 19 © 2024 David Lombeida

Since the recent threats against Ahmed and Halima’s home, Israeli activists have been providing protective presence. There is less likelihood that settlers will be able to forcibly move Palestinian residents from their homes if the activists are present. The activist group has maintained a 24-hour presence, taking shifts throughout the day and night. An activist sits with the family at night at their property in the village of Susiya, in the South Hebron Hills of the West Bank.

In the recent weeks the army de...st following orders.”

19 of 19 © 2024 David Lombeida

In the recent weeks the army declared two of their olive orchards as “closed military zones” and no harvesting is permitted on their own land. As I was visiting the family, the army received a message that someone had been picking olives, came to the property, and explained if they witness any harvesting, there will be arrests. A common answer to why certain areas seemly overnight become “closed military zones” is “I’m just following orders.”

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Thumbnail of Manel Shahada lives in the small_oned the home, after the attack.

Thumbnail of Ibrahim with his wife and daught_te times after 1948 by settlers.

Thumbnail of Ibrahim lives with his wife, thr_perty in the South Hebron Hills.

Thumbnail of Ibrahim's shares a meal _amily in the South Hebron Hills.

Thumbnail of Ibrahim's wife prepares _amily in the South Hebron Hills.

Thumbnail of Ibrahim his wife prepares for th_rning of the South Hebron Hills.

Thumbnail of An army outpost can be seen from_ settlers have setup a compound.

Thumbnail of Outside a residency in South Heb_ used by both army and settlers.

Thumbnail of Outside a residency in South Heb_ used by both army and settlers.

Thumbnail of Manel Shahada poses for a portra_tler when farming on their land.

Thumbnail of Murad Ode was shot and wounded w_by the army and now by settlers.

Thumbnail of Manel grabs the remaining things_en settlers ambushed the burial.

Thumbnail of After the attack on Manel&rs_re killed in the funeral attack.

Thumbnail of Halima and her husband Ahmed liv_repare breakfast for the family.

Thumbnail of Ahmed prays in the early morning_h Hebron Hills of the West Bank.

Thumbnail of Ahmed takes his sheep out for gr_ess and less land for his flock.

Thumbnail of Halima (far left) and her husban_hare a breakfast in the morning.

Thumbnail of Since the recent threats against_h Hebron Hills of the West Bank.

Thumbnail of In the recent weeks the army dec_ust following orders.”

Public Story

The Guardian: West Bank Settler Violence

Copyright David Lombeida 2024

Date of Work Nov 2023 - Nov 2023

Updated Jan 2024

Location West Bank, Palestine

Topics Conflict, Human Rights, International Stories, Investigation, Journalism, Oppression, Photography, War and its effects

Violence in the occupied West Bank was already at a more than 15-year high in 2023, with 200 Palestinians and 26 Israelis killed, but since Hamas unleashed the deadliest day in Israel’s history on 7 October, it has surged in parallel with the war in Gaza. Since that date, 260 Palestinians have been killed in the West Bank, including in raids by the Israeli military against suspected militants and by extremist settlers – whose daily attacks against Palestinians have more than doubled in the last two months, UN data shows.

For a story with The Guardian, I stayed with Palestinian families facing threats and abuse from settlers encroaching on their land and met Israeli activists attempting to help Palestinian families undergoing these rising threats. The following images show this rise of violence since 7 October and life for Palestinians in the West Bank amid expanding settlements.

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