Palestinian Toubassi family watches homes burn as Israeli courts order their return

The Toubassi family had been forced to leave their two elegant hilltop houses in Jaloud, West Bank, after radical settlers occupied them following weeks of intimidation and stone-throwing. Their case was presented before Israel’s Supreme Court, which ruled that the family should be allowed to return under military guard within fourteen days. On the morning they expected to re-enter, the family watched the homes burn, the fire consuming the stairwell, ceramic tiles and personal hopes.

Surveillance cameras captured the blaze, and the family followed the images from across the hill. A phone call from the coordinating body COGAT finally arrived late at night, confirming the situation. The incident highlights the limited recourse Palestinians have amid a justice system they view as ineffective.