Israeli settlers sang, danced and carried Torah scrolls into a new synagogue at Homesh in the occupied West Bank. Some participants also carried rifles. The photographs capture faith, celebration, power and dispossession occupying the same frame.
Israel evacuated Homesh in 2005, but the settlement has since been reestablished and connected to water and electricity. The nearby Palestinian village of Burqa says the revival restricts residents’ movement and access to land.
The location is inseparable from the worship
For supporters, the synagogue represents religious return and historic Jewish connection. For Palestinians, it stands on land whose ownership the Israeli Supreme Court has recognized as belonging to villagers from Burqa. That makes the building more than a house of prayer; it is also a physical declaration about control.
Most of the international community considers Israeli settlements in the occupied West Bank illegal under international law. Israel disputes that position, citing security needs and historical ties. Settler violence and military restrictions have increased pressure on Palestinian communities throughout the territory.
Sacred symbols do not cancel political consequences
Associated Press documented the inauguration on September 17, 2026.
Religion can hold memory, identity and hope. It can also be recruited to make a territorial claim feel beyond debate. Honest coverage has to acknowledge what the ceremony means to worshippers while refusing to erase the families who experience the same event as another loss. A sanctuary does not become less sacred when hard questions are asked about the ground beneath it.
Facts first. Side-eye included.
DJF separates what is confirmed from what is claimed—and tells you why this particular mess is worth your time.