In my childhood, I heard much about the early days of my birthplace, Umm al-Hiran. In 1956, about a thousand of my family members were led to this place by the army, in their third journey within four years, after being expelled from the family land in Wadi Zubalah. The state settled them here because it wanted a security buffer near the border with Jordan, which controlled the West Bank.

Initially, the family lived in black tents, made of goat hair, built in a semi-circular formation. On cold nights, community members gathered around bonfires, telling ancient stories, voices of singing and laughter mixing with the howls of jackals. Alongside the stories, they held practical discussions: where to dig wells (16 were dug!), where to carve caves for protection and storage, and where to plant orchards, medicinal plants, and food crops.

Men and women together built ovens for baking, and I remember well the taste of hot pitas and the scents of za'atar and mint rising from the fresh bread. As a child, I herded sheep, helped grow wheat, watermelons, cucumbers, tomatoes, and other agricultural produce that grew on thousands of acres we cultivated. In the 1980s, Umm al-Hiran was still a thriving agricultural village of about 2,000 residents, relying mainly on self-produced agricultural products.

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Today, when I look at the village, I see all the layers of our history. Umm al-Hiran is more than just a place on the map - it's a story of a community with deep roots. If you come to visit, I can show you the first tents that are still preserved folded. The transition to stone houses did not erase their memory and importance for us. Two weeks ago, state inspectors informed us that by mid-November, bulldozers will come to the village, erase its houses and dismantle the community - this is to clear the area for the Torah nucleus of the Dror settlement, which is being established on the village's lands.

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We are not alone in this. Since May this year, the state has erased three villages and turned more than 700 citizens homeless. Most now live in makeshift tents among the ruins of their homes. Immediately after the destruction of Umm al-Hiran, the state intends to erase the historic village of Ras Jaraba near Dimona, and later about ten more villages.

Meanwhile, close to 20 settlements for Jews are being promoted on the same lands or nearby. This is essentially an "ethnic replacement plan" - expelling about 10,000 citizens of the wrong race, to settle a similar number of citizens of the right race. 'Ethnic cleansing'? 'Apartheid'? I'm not a lawyer. This is simply the reality of my life. We are not willing to be silent in the face of the ethnic replacement plan!

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In the coming month, we will hold a determined struggle in Umm al-Hiran against the erasure of the villages.

At the heart of the protest will be a long series of cultural and art events - dance, theater, music, visual arts, stand-up comedy, and more.

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The peak event will take place on November 9th: an angry and noisy protest performance, "Rock in Umm al-Hiran," featuring some of Israel's leading artists. The event will continue until the next morning, to accompany us residents on the first day when the bulldozers are expected to come to our homes.

We need your help to produce the month of struggle against the "replacement plan" in Umm al-Hiran. Please support us and come participate in the cultural events as part of the struggle. Thank you!