Location and population

The village of Masha is located in the govrenorate of Salfit. It is situated about 20 km to the west of the city of Salfit, 35 km to the west of Nablus  and 6 km to the east of the green line. Before the war of 1967, it had the population of 1000 inhabitants. This number decreased to 600 after the war due to exodus. According to the 2002 census conduced by Palestinian Central Bureau of Statistics, the village population was 2000.

The village of Masha is considered the mother village of Kufr Qasem town which is located in the triangle region inside the green line. Before 1948, the land of Masha expanded westward until Al Oja river where is located the fertile land. Therefore, quite a lot of Masha people moved to settle in the town of Kufr Qasem to take care of their land. In 1956, the Zionist gangs committed a massacre against the people of Kufr Qasem in which more than 50 men were killed, forcing survivals to flee away.

Following the war of 1948,  the two villages were split apart: 70 % of the land were annexed into Israel, including the town of Kufr Qasem; 30 % of the land remained in West Bank proper, including the village of Masha.

It is worth mentioning that before 1967, about 80 % of the people of Masha depended on agriculture and animal rearing as main income, while the remaining 20 percent worked as civil servants.

From 1967 until 1996 a big number of them worked as laborers in Israel, and from 1996 until 2000, they worked as merchants in Masha regional market which employed not less than 5000 workers from Masha and surrounding villages and towns. The market was active until the year 2000 when the Israeli army destroyed it following the outbreak of the second Intifada. As a result, about 75 % of Masha work force became jobless.

Village area

The current village area is estimated at 6000 dunum, including 300 dunum as built up area and another 300 dunum cultivated with crops and irrigated vegs. There are another 3500 dunum planted with olive trees and 900 dunum with cereals. The remaining 1000 dunum are used as range land.

In 1978, the village came under an extensive colonial onslaught by Ghush Amunim during which more than 1000 dunum of the village land were confiscated for Jewish construction, including the area of Mount Al Hilo which was the site of a Jordanian military camp before 1967.

Now, there are three colonies built on Masha land:  Elkana, Sha'are Tikva and Etzwaim.

Masha and the Segregation Wall

Apart form Masha, the Wall plan in that area affects three other villages: As Sawiya, Rafat and Deir Ballut which are located in the same basin as Masha ( see attached map). The four villages will be totally separated from other West Bank regions except for a narrow passage in the north eastern neck of the enclave leading to the city of Nablus. Although the four villages are related to Salfit governorate they will be cut off from Salfit as the attached map shows. The fate of these four villages will be similar to that of Qalqiliya city to the north. As far as Masha is concerned, about 95 % of its land will be expropriated or separated by the Wall. In numbers, this percentage is equal to 5500 dunum. Currently, the Wall strangulates the four villages from north and west. The second and the last phase will encircle the four villages form south. If the Wall plan continues it will strip the four villages off their lands and confiscate their means of livelihood and survival.

Impacts of the Wall on Masha

Economic impact

1. The construction of the Wall has led to the expropriation of large areas of agricultural land, mostly cultivated with olive, citrus and fruit trees as well as vegs. Apart from this, between 15 to 20 dunum were used as green houses for irrigated vegetation before seizure.

2. At least 1000 olive trees were uprooted, destroyed or separated by the construction of the wall.

3. The only artisan water well in the village (Ash Shila Well) was also taken.

4. The Wall construction led to the demolition of 7 barracks for animal production.

5. The commercial market of Masha village was destroyed by army bulldozers during construction processes.

Social impact

1. The Wall construction has led to the complete separation of one Palestinian house from the rest of the village. The house occupants are not allowed to move out of the house without special passing permits issued by the Israeli military. Moreover, and according to the new regulations, the house owner has no right to renovate or add any new additions to the house.
2.  Three other Palestinians from the village were forced to stop the construction processes in their newly established houses due to their proximity from the Wall path.
3. The Wall deprived the people of Kufr Qasem on the other side of the green line from visiting their relatives in the village of Masha.
4. The erection of two Wall gates: the first one to the north of the village and the second to the west. These two gates are opened three times daily, 20 minutes each,  according to the following timetable:

4:50 – 5:10

12:50- 13: 10

17:00- 17:50

Very often, the Israeli army personnel manning the gates turn people back when they don’t obtain special passing permits. In some cases, depending on the whims of individual soldiers, even those who obtain these permits are denied access.

5. The Wall has seriously affected the local people's access to education, health, services…etc.

Colony expansion

Taking advantage of the current measures of separation and confiscation, Israeli colonists in that area started to expands their existing colonies over newly confiscated or separated Palestinian land. Bulldozers are working round the clock in building roads and leveling land for Jewish home construction. So far, at least three new roads have been established in the vicinities of the three colonies located in that area. 

LRC filed worker tour

During the tour of LRC field worker in the village of Masha, he met three victims of the Wall:

1. Mr. Nazieh Mohammed Shalabi, 36 years old farmer and father of 9 children. He told LRC field worker that his family has lost 120 dunum out of 125 dunum for the Wall construction. As a result, he is now left with no source of livelihood.
2. Mr. Hani Amer, his house has been encircled and separated from the village. He and his family members cannot move out of their house without special passing permits from the Israeli army. No body is allowed to visit his family. He cannot renovate or expand his house. His family feels that they live in a remote separated island.

3. Mr. Rida Odeh, his family has lost all of its 600 dunum and left with no empty space even for future building.

A Description for the Wall in Masha

The Wall travels at the distance of three km over the land of Masha. The Wall path is formed of many defense lines, including cement walls at the height of 8 meters, barbed wires, electronic fences, cameras, early warning systems and trenches. The total width of the Wall is between 50 – 50 meters.

Anti Wall campaign in Masha 

As part of the general anti Wall campaign all over the occupied territories, the following activities were organized in Masha:

1. Orgnizing 6 demonstrations by the people of Masha supported by local and international anti Wall solidarity groups;
2. Erecting a sit-in tent for the period of four months before it was dismantled by the Israeli and protesters arrested, including foreigners who were deposed to Israeli proper and prevented from re-entering the occupied territories;
3. Opening Internet sites about the Wall and its disastrous effects on the Palestinian people and land;
4. Organizing a number of visits for foreign delegates, Knesset members and Palestinian legislative Council members;
5. Holding a special session by the Palestinian Legislative Council about the Wall in Masha attended by affected people;
6. Forming a local anti Wall committee;
7. Involving as many international organization as possible in the anti Wall campaign;
8. Giving power of attorney to a number of local and international lawyers to defend the rights of affected people.