Yuval Abraham

And after I began studying Arabic, it really changed my life. It changed me politically, but I think also emotionally. My grandfather, who is a Jewish person born in Jerusalem and his family is originally from Yemen, he spoke fluent Palestinian Arabic. But then, you know, after this family connection, I began also meeting Palestinians. First, Palestinians were citizens of Israel.

And gradually, I began going more and more into the West Bank. And I think the knowledge of Arabic and Hebrew is sort of what's made me a journalist.

And gradually, I began going more and more into the West Bank. And I think the knowledge of Arabic and Hebrew is sort of what's made me a journalist.

And gradually, I began going more and more into the West Bank. And I think the knowledge of Arabic and Hebrew is sort of what's made me a journalist.

Wherever you look in the West Bank and also inside Israel, for example, in the Negev, you see Palestinian houses being bulldozed. You see Palestinian villages where they have no connection to water or electricity, and they are unable to obtain a permit. The Israeli military declines.

Wherever you look in the West Bank and also inside Israel, for example, in the Negev, you see Palestinian houses being bulldozed. You see Palestinian villages where they have no connection to water or electricity, and they are unable to obtain a permit. The Israeli military declines.

Wherever you look in the West Bank and also inside Israel, for example, in the Negev, you see Palestinian houses being bulldozed. You see Palestinian villages where they have no connection to water or electricity, and they are unable to obtain a permit. The Israeli military declines.

It's almost 99% of Palestinian requests for building permits, according to data that the military has supplied to organizations like Bimkom and others, Israeli human rights organizations that are researching this issue. And when I looked in the Israeli media or I began talking to Israeli friends from where I grew up or my family, the response I always got was, well, they're building illegally.

It's almost 99% of Palestinian requests for building permits, according to data that the military has supplied to organizations like Bimkom and others, Israeli human rights organizations that are researching this issue. And when I looked in the Israeli media or I began talking to Israeli friends from where I grew up or my family, the response I always got was, well, they're building illegally.

It's almost 99% of Palestinian requests for building permits, according to data that the military has supplied to organizations like Bimkom and others, Israeli human rights organizations that are researching this issue. And when I looked in the Israeli media or I began talking to Israeli friends from where I grew up or my family, the response I always got was, well, they're building illegally.

This is a legal issue. They did not obtain a permit and it's illegal. But when I began researching and looking at documents and looking at statistics, you very quickly realize that it's a political issue, that there is a systematic effort to prevent this acquisition of building permits. I think for me, what was most interesting important and shocking when I first met Basil.

This is a legal issue. They did not obtain a permit and it's illegal. But when I began researching and looking at documents and looking at statistics, you very quickly realize that it's a political issue, that there is a systematic effort to prevent this acquisition of building permits. I think for me, what was most interesting important and shocking when I first met Basil.

This is a legal issue. They did not obtain a permit and it's illegal. But when I began researching and looking at documents and looking at statistics, you very quickly realize that it's a political issue, that there is a systematic effort to prevent this acquisition of building permits. I think for me, what was most interesting important and shocking when I first met Basil.

This is like the first day that we met. I remember there was a house demolition happening in Basil's village and we ran to it. I remember like the soldiers threw stun grenades and they kicked this person out of his house and destroyed the house. And there was so much violence there at that moment.

This is like the first day that we met. I remember there was a house demolition happening in Basil's village and we ran to it. I remember like the soldiers threw stun grenades and they kicked this person out of his house and destroyed the house. And there was so much violence there at that moment.

This is like the first day that we met. I remember there was a house demolition happening in Basil's village and we ran to it. I remember like the soldiers threw stun grenades and they kicked this person out of his house and destroyed the house. And there was so much violence there at that moment.

I remember like the children looking at it and the family then not sure what to do and where will they go and where will they sleep. And I felt it's very wrong, you know, that this is happening. And I felt a certain responsibility, I guess, to communicate that first and first most to Israelis. So I began writing mainly in Hebrew.

I remember like the children looking at it and the family then not sure what to do and where will they go and where will they sleep. And I felt it's very wrong, you know, that this is happening. And I felt a certain responsibility, I guess, to communicate that first and first most to Israelis. So I began writing mainly in Hebrew.

I remember like the children looking at it and the family then not sure what to do and where will they go and where will they sleep. And I felt it's very wrong, you know, that this is happening. And I felt a certain responsibility, I guess, to communicate that first and first most to Israelis. So I began writing mainly in Hebrew.

And something about that experience really drew me back to come back to Masafariyata and to basically witness this happening over and over again.