Area C

Sixty percent. That’s how much of the West Bank is designated as Area C. You might think that’s just a geographical designation, but it’s much more than that. Area C is where the future of Palestine is being written, often in the dust of demolished homes. It’s a place of stark contrasts, where approximately 300,000 Palestinians live alongside over 400,000 Israeli settlers. Imagine living in a place where you need permission to build a home on your own land, where accessing water can be a daily struggle, and where the threat of demolition hangs heavy in the air. This is the reality for many Palestinians living in Area C. Governed by the Israeli Civil Administration, Area C is subject to Israeli law and planning regulations. These regulations, however, often make it nearly impossible for Palestinians to obtain building permits. As a result, many Palestinian homes are considered illegal and vulnerable to demolition. The struggle for basic resources, like water, adds another layer of hardship. While Israeli settlements in Area C have access to readily available water, many Palestinian communities rely on sparsely available water tanks, often at inflated prices. The Oslo II Accord, signed in 1995, envisioned a gradual transfer of control over Area C to the Palestinian Authority. Sadly, that transfer never happened, leaving the fate of Area C, and those who call it home, uncertain.