There are 16 Palestinian villages of 70,000 people in the northwest area of Jerusalem, of which approximately 30,000 are children, boys, and girls under 18 years old. The residents are cut off from Jerusalem, and they are isolated economically. Attention is needed by humanitarian aid organizations, churches, and world governments, to meet the residents’ developmental needs and to end the siege that isolates them from their lifeline in Jerusalem. The fact sheet offers an overview of the history of the area as well as current maps. On 20 September 2025, Israeli authorities informed residents of Beit Iqsa, An Nabi Samwil, and Hay Al-Khalayleh that entry into these villages will now require special permits, and access is officially considered entry into Israeli territory. Only residents holding the necessary permits are allowed through the checkpoints. This development further deepens the isolation of these communities and heightens concerns over freedom of movement, emergency response, and access to education, healthcare, and livelihoods. “The Israeli-imposed restrictions make it almost impossible for the village residents to maintain social and family ties not only throughout the West Bank, but also to access workplaces and go for worship and services in East Jerusalem,” shows the data in the fact sheet. “The restrictions make it difficult also for workers, suppliers, and other service providers to enter the villages, which in turn disrupts daily life and curtails the municipal councils’ ability to provide residents with basic needs.” The research offers examples in specific villages, among them the village of Beit Iqsa, which has a permanent Israeli military checkpoint at its entrance. “Ambulances or civil defense teams are not allowed in and require prior coordination which is not practical during cases of emergency,” notes the fact sheet. “People who need medical help are consequently carried by private cars across the checkpoint and the ambulance meets them at the other side.” In the An-Nabi Samwel village, access is even more severely restricted. “Unemployment stands at approximately 90 percent,” notes the research. “The population in the northwest villages used to rely on agriculture before their land was confiscated.” Residents in the Biddu enclave cannot enter Ramallah easily due to the checkpoints, and they are not given permits to enter Jerusalem for employment. “The restrictions deny residents the ability to lead normal daily lives and cause severe harm in all aspects of life,” reads the text. “For example, university students from the Biddu enclave do not know what to do when they are delayed at the checkpoints and find themselves unable to reach their educational institutions on time.” Beit Iqsa students coming back home from universities find themselves stranded and unable to reach their families easily. “Renovation and expansion of schools, for example in An-Nabi Samwel, is forbidden, and teachers and school students who travel in and out of the Al-Jeeb checkpoint also suffer,” points out the fact sheet. “For medical treatment, the residents used to go to East Jerusalem Palestinian hospitals, and women used to give birth in East Jerusalem, but they are no longer allowed to enter the city.” Basic health clinics exist in the villages of Bir Nabala, Biddu, Beit Suriq, Qatanna, Qubeibeh, Al-Jeeb, and Beit ‘Inan. “Each clinic has two medical staff: one doctor and one nurse who work only two days per week,” notes the text. “The clinics are not always open because the Palestinian Authority lacks the funds needed for management and operations.” Gynecology services are not available, and women must travel to Ramallah hospitals and endure harsh conditions due to the checkpoints and restrictions on ambulance mobility. “Existing clinics must be developed and their services expanded with medical teams and equipment if they are to meet the population's basic health needs,” reads the text. The area has only two ambulances for the entire population of 70,000 people, which means an average of one ambulance per 35,000 people. “Another problem to be addressed is shortages in potable water.” Because Israel gives water only as per quota from Mekorot – the Israeli water company – there is hardly any water made available during the summer months. “The discrimination in terms of access to water between the Palestinian communities and the settlements is staggering,” notes the text, which also references specific numbers. “In the northwest Jerusalem villages, potable water is sometimes supplied by trucks in areas with limited or unreliable access to piped water.” As per United Nations Security Council and General Assembly resolutions since 1967, Israel’s annexation of Jerusalem and application of Israeli law are not recognized internationally. “Moreover, the International Court of Justice (ICJ) issued an advisory opinion on 9 July 2024 saying that the Wall inside the West Bank, in and around Jerusalem, and the permit system, violate International Law,” concludes the fact sheet. “The ICJ called for cessation of such acts, dismantling the system, and for reparations to the inflicted Palestinian communities.” Download factsheet: Fact sheet - Jerusalem Northwest Villages WCC-EAPPI | 
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