General Background

The unrecognized village of Khašim Zannih is home to some 2000 people and predates the establishment of the State of Israel.  The village has important historical sites including an ancient cemetery from the period of the Ottoman Empire, a well that was filled in by the government, several ancient houses, and caves that were carved for storing crops. The village is named after Zannih, a righteous woman who is buried in the village. The hill on which the village stands is shaped like a woman’s nose, and the village is consequently called Khašim Zannih – “Zannih’s nose”. In December 2021, the government decided to recognize three unrecognized villages, as part of the coalition agreement including among them, Khašim Zannih.

Services and infrastructure

There are no medical clinics or schools in the village, and residents must travel to Be’er Sheva or Šgīb as-Salām to receive medical services or attend school. Since public transport is not frequent, many people avoid seeking medical treatment and there is a high dropout rate, particularly among girls.

Most residents draw water from a designated spot on the main pipeline, near route 25, using makeshift plastic pipes while some, who live far from the main road, bring water to their homes using tanks.

Threats

The village is unrecognized, but according to Be’er Sheva Metropolitan Plan, its location in a “rural agricultural area”, makes it viable for recognition. However, the village faces a double threat as both Route 6 (the trans-Israel Highway) is planned to run through part of the village and to cover a significant part of it, while other parts of the village have been designated for forestation.