The Christian Kisiya (Qaisiya) family owned land in al-Makhrour valley, near Beit Jala, in the occupied West Bank. She had a successful restaurant on their five dunams (5,000 square meters) of land, which was established in 2005. They later built a nearby house for residential purposes in 2010.

Alice Kisiya, the daughter of this family became a symbolic figure of the Palestinian resistance against the land theft and the settlement.

Historical and Legal Context:

The restaurant was built partially within an old mudbrick structure predating 1967, which the family argued did not require permits. The Israeli authorities, through the Coordinator of Government Activities in the Territories (COGAT), maintained that permits were necessary.

The property faced legal challenges from Haminuta, a subsidiary of the Keren Kayemeth LeIsrael-Jewish National Fund (KKL-JNF), which claimed ownership of the land based on a supposed purchase dating back to 1969. However, this claim was contentious due to incomplete land registration in the area, raising concerns of possible mistakes or forgery.

The al-Makhrour hill is strategically valuable for connecting Israeli settlements, such as Gush Etzion and Har Gilo, to Jerusalem. Activists argue that this plan is part of the broader 'Greater Jerusalem'project, aimed at consolidating Israeli control and isolating Palestinian villages from Bethlehem. Activists like Hagit Ofran from the Peace Now group emphasized the demolition's significance in disconnecting Palestinian territories and preventing the establishment of a cohesive Palestinian state.

Palestinian activist Hasan Breijeh highlighted that the demolitions aim to pressure families into abandoning their land, aligning with a broader strategy of territorial consolidation for Israeli settlements. The community's efforts to resist these measures include public advocacy, legal battles, and a strong presence on contested land.

Home demolitions in the occupied territories violate international law, specifically the fourth Geneva Convention, which prohibits altering the conditions on the ground in occupied areas.

Demolition by Israeli Forces:

The restaurant was previously dismantled in 2012 and 2013, with the family rebuilding each time.

On a Monday morning in August 2019, the Israeli military demolished the family’s restaurant and home. The stated reason was the lack of a proper construction permit, which is a frequent justification used by Israeli authorities for demolitions in the West Bank. The demolition took place despite a notice from the Israeli High Court calling for a delay, which was ignored by the military commander on site.

On Augustus 9, 2024 Israeli settlers invaded the Kisiya properties supported by Israeli soldiers.

on Augustus 26, 2024

Pastor Munther Isaac @MuntherIsaac "Today I visited the Kisiya family. There were forcebly expelled from their land by the Israeli military, and now they are staying in a tent outside of their land. They were attacked by settlers, and Alice the daughter was arrested, (she was released for now today). In the tent I also met Israeli activists for peace who are in solidarity with the family from Combatants For Peace, and young men from Masafir Yatta who are facing similar challenges and came as well to show solidarity. It was powerful to see Jews and Muslims in solidarity with this Christian family from Bethlehem. Please pray and advocate for this family. I took a picture of the official document that prove their ownership of the land. What the Kisiya family is facing is what we as Palestinians have been enduring for 76 years, namely: Ethnic cleansing. This is what the settler activity is all about."

On November 3, 2024

Alice Kisiya was arrested, for the second time this year, by the Israeli security forces, according to savealmakhrour "Fresh out of hospital for knee surgery, still on crutches, she was attacked by armed settlers and then taken into custody by the IOF (*video of her arrest is in our most recent Reel). We ask our global community and friends to raise your voices of concern, call representatives, notify embassies, notify organisations and organising groups ... and pray. Pray for her safety and quick release ... and continue to pray for justice to come to Al-Makhrour and all of Palestine."

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Impact on the Family and Community:

Despite the repeated setbacks, the Qaisyehs, led by Ramzi and supported by his daughter Alice, remained resilient. Alice expressed the emotional toll but asserted that they were "not defeated." The family, supported by the local community, set up tents on the land and vowed to rebuild.

"In this Palestinian valley west of Bethlehem, which in 2014 became a UNESCO World Heritage Site due to its its olive groves and vineyards, the Kisiya family's restaurant is nothing more than a pile of ruins topped by fences. It was a restaurant appreciated for its cuisine and friendliness in the Palestinian Christian town of Beit Jala. "The place is beautiful, the food succulent and the owners are adorable [...]. If you're passing through Beit Jala, a stop at Al Makhrour is a must," a comment from 2015 reads on its Facebook page. Ramzi Kisiya who had inherited the land opened a restaurant in 2001 there with his wife and their four children. For years, hundreds of tourists passing through Bethlehem stopped there for a salad before continuing their hike in the green valleys. For a long time, the Makhrour valley was untouched by uncontrolled Israeli settlements, but the trouble began in 2012 when an Israeli outpost - a settlement not authorised by the government - was built there. The settlers demolished the restaurant, claiming it belonged to the JNF. The Kisiya family, who insist otherwise, rebuilt their restaurant before it was demolished again in 2013 and then again in 2015. In 2019 the family decided to take the case to court to have their rights heard. But in 2023, a civil court in Jerusalem validated the expropriation. In a bid to prevent the family's restaurant from being rebuilt again, the Israeli army declared the site to be a "closed military zone", which prevented anyone from entering it until this past summer, when Israeli settlers backed by soldiers destroyed it once again. Israeli settlers backed by the army seized the 5,000 square- metre plot on July 31 and evicted the French-Palestinian family. "We are being targeted because we reject the government's Zionist policy," said Michelle Kisiya. Expulsions of Palestinians from their land in West Bank have increased, particularly since Israel's far-right government came to power in 2022. The situation has sharply deteriorated since Israel's invasion of Gaza last year." from hiddenpalestine

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