Hebron / PNN /
Firm in their historical right to their homeland and deeply rooted in their land and identity, Palestinians have dismissed former U.S. President Donald Trump’s statements and plans that discuss their displacement from their homes in both the West Bank and Gaza. Emphasising their unwavering connection to the land, they reject any forced relocation, viewing it as part of longstanding Israeli policies against them.
Fidaa Abu Maria, a farmer from Beit Ummar, north of Hebron in the occupied West Bank, responded to Trump's proposals with defiance. Speaking to the Palestine News Network (PNN), she stated, “Who is Trump to decide where we should live? This is our land, our country, our air, and our water. Trump does not determine whether we stay or leave.”
Abu Maria represents the resilience of Palestinian women in agriculture. Amid an economic crisis exacerbated by war and job losses, she describes how farming has become a lifeline. “The entire world knows how difficult our situation is. With workers unemployed since the war began, agriculture has become our primary source of income. Today, 90% of Beit Ummar’s residents work in farming.”
Jamila Ali Saeed Sabaneh, another farmer, echoed these sentiments: “Since we settled here, we have worked the land. It has given us so much. The land always provides as long as you nurture it.”
The agricultural shift is evident in Beit Ummar, where nearly every family cultivates a piece of land. Abu Maria elaborates: “Everyone here is a farmer. Every family owns at least a small plot, whether near their home or a bit further away. With war, unemployment, and ongoing hardships, people have turned to seasonal farming, growing crops year-round to sustain themselves.”
Palestinian women sell their produce in local markets, playing a crucial role in supporting their families. Sabaneh explains, “We gather our harvest, load it onto trucks, and take it to Hebron’s main market. This is how we survive.”
Abu Maria and her fellow farmers ridicule Trump’s talk of displacement, standing firm in their commitment to the land. “Who is Trump to decide where we belong? This is our land, our country, our air, and our water. He does not decide our fate,” she asserted while tending to her crops.
For Abu Maria, every grain of soil is sacred. “This land preserves our existence and our identity. We will not leave, even if it costs us our lives.”
She firmly rejects any repetition of the Palestinian Nakba of 1948 and the occupation of 1967. “We are staying in our homeland, and no one can force us out.”
For Palestinian women, working the land is more than a job—it is an act of resistance. Sabaneh describes farming as “a fulfilling and rewarding experience. Our land requires our care, our hard work, and in return, it sustains us.”
She adds that when she is not working on her farm, she feels an undeniable void. “Something is missing when I am not in the fields, when I am not planting or harvesting.”
Abu Maria divides her time between household responsibilities and farming. “In winter, we rely on rain-fed agriculture, which requires less water and no irrigation. We focus on crops suited to the season.”
She urges every Palestinian family to cultivate whatever land they have, no matter how small. “Even if you only have two square metres by your doorstep, plant it. Do not abandon your land. Our presence on this soil gives us life. We must continue working, remain steadfast, and resist displacement by cultivating our land.”
This story was produced as part of the Qarib programme, implemented by the French Media Development Agency (CFI) in partnership with and funded by the French Development Agency (AFD).