Tal here. We are heartbroken to share that our friend, partner, and teacher, Awdah Hathaleen, was killed on July 28 by an armed Israeli settler in his home village of Umm al-Khair in Masafer Yatta, in the southern West Bank. As his community mourns, his friends are raising funds to help his family and village recover from this loss and rebuild in the wake of the violence.
Awdah was many things: a committed activist against the occupation, an educator, a neighbour, and a steadfast presence in the struggle for his community’s survival and for a free Palestine. For years, he welcomed visitors, journalists, and activists into Umm al-Khair, patiently explaining the realities of settler violence and land theft. He understood that education was not only for classrooms, but a way of living that is built on relationships and a deep understanding of living a shared life in a shared world. Whether speaking to local schoolchildren or to an international human rights delegation, Awdah’s quiet patience never diminished the urgency of his message.
He was a movement partner to many of us at RSN and to the wider Israeli left. Many of us learned from him not only about Masafer Yatta, but about how to sustain resistance without losing sight of dignity or care for others. His approach to struggle, rooted in teaching, listening, and building understanding, remains a model for our movements.
In the days after his killing by an Israeli settler as soldiers watched on, his body was withheld for ten days before being released for burial. Even his funeral was subject to restrictions and intimidation. Yet his community carried him home, and his legacy now belongs to all who believe in freedom and equality.
Awdah’s death is an immeasurable loss for his family, for Umm al-Khair, for our shared movement, and for everyone who fights for a just future everywhere. We will honour him not only in words, but in action, right now by supporting his village as they recover from this violence and continue the struggle he gave his life to.