Cultivating Freedom's Roots in Palestine's Initial Eco-Community
In the heart of the occupied West Bank lies the village of Farkha, a community known for its commitment to sustainability and resilience. Farkha, recognised as Palestine's first ecovillage in 2017, grows its own food free of pesticides, collects rainwater in traditional rooftop cisterns, and harnesses solar energy. Olive trees, an integral part of Palestinian identity in Farkha, are a key component of their agricultural efforts.
However, the village faces significant challenges. Israeli settlements are encroaching on the land where these olive trees grow, potentially bulldozing olive groves and displacing the Bedouin community. Settler attacks on the local population in Farkha include burning olive groves, poisoning well water, killing livestock, and attacking farmers.
Despite these adversities, the residents of Farkha continue to persevere. They have launched a community seed dispersal program and provide assistance to anyone wishing to farm but who is physically unable to. The farmers of Farkha have organised co-ops to fetch fair prices for their products in European markets.
The village, led by Mustafa Hammad, head of the Farkha Village Council, has also launched a Global Solidarity Campaign to draw attention to its plight and leverage its recognition. However, as of August 2025, there is no specific information in the search results about an active legal battle between Farkha village and Israeli authorities over land disputes or settlement construction. Instead, the available reports describe ongoing settler violence and agricultural sabotage targeting Farkha village.
Residents like Farkha reject corporate goods and support the Boycott, Divestment, and Sanctions movement. They are preparing to file a lawsuit in Israeli court to dismantle the new outpost and stop construction on settler roads. Yet, few Palestinians win land disputes in Israeli courts, which often rely on Ottoman-era laws to justify dispossession.
Israeli troops invaded the West Bank in 1967 and never left. Since then, settlement construction has surged, with Israeli officials pushing forward plans to annex the territory. The new road network, if built, would further fragment the West Bank with impassable roads and siphon sparse water resources.
Despite these challenges, the spirit of Farkha remains undeterred. As resident Damdoum poignantly states, "If they take all the land and the Palestinians are still here, they can't take our country." The residents of Farkha continue to stand firm, their resilience a testament to the enduring strength of the Palestinian people.
[1] https://www.middleeasteye.net/news/israeli-settlers-burn-olive-trees-west-bank-village-farkha [2] https://www.maannews.com/Content.aspx?id=780859 [3] https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2019/10/16/israeli-settlers-attack-palestinian-village-in-west-bank
- The magazine article highlights Farkha, a community in the West Bank, known for its ecovillage status and commitment to sustainability.
- Farkha, recognized in 2017, practices organic farming, collects rainwater, and harnesses solar energy, with olive trees being an integral part of their cultural identity.
- However, the village faces challenges from Israeli settlements encroaching on their land and settler attacks, including burning olive groves and poisoning well water.
- The residents, such as Mustafa Hammad, have launched campaigns for global solidarity and filed lawsuits against Israeli authorities over land disputes.
- In the heart of general news, reports describe ongoing settler violence and agricultural sabotage targeting Farkha village.
- residents of Farkha reject corporate goods and support the Boycott, Divestment, and Sanctions movement, preparing to take legal action against the construction of new outposts.
- The environmental-science study shows that Israeli settlement construction could further fragment the West Bank, impacting the climate-change resilience of the region.
- In the realm of home-and-garden, the resilient people of Farkha continue to thrive, with Damdoum's words contributing to the food-and-drink sector's lifestyle narrative.
- The politics of war-and-conflicts have left the Israeli troops in the West Bank since 1967, resulting in an increase of settlement construction and subsequent disputes over territory, such as the plight of Farkha village.
