Pools, marble and mansions: Inside 100 Palestinian luxury homes in West Bank

A photography book published by Regavim showcases 100 privately owned Palestinian villas and estates across the West Bank, seeking to challenge what the organization describes as a selective international portrayal of Palestinian life.

Titled Real Estate Under Occupation, the book features swimming pools, fountains, marble staircases and landscaped grounds. Regavim, an Israeli NGO that campaigns on land use and construction enforcement, said its field coordinators photographed all the featured properties in a single day.

In Shuqba, a Palestinian village northwest of Ramallah, the team documented an estate that Regavim described as covering 4,800 square meters, with a central swimming pool, landscaped lawns, shaded entertaining areas and a large courtyard.

In Nahalin, southwest of Bethlehem, the book features a neoclassical property listed at 1,120 square meters, with seven balconies, a turret, a fountain and an ornamental pool.

In Khirbet Zif, in the Hebron Hills, the organization documented gated compounds with swimming pools, gardens, guest accommodations, saunas, security cameras and private access roads. Other properties featured stone columns, electric gates, orchards and private parking.

The measurements are those supplied by Regavim; they should not all be read as interior living-space figures.

The introduction uses sarcasm to place terms such as “oppression,” “severe deprivation” and “daily hardship” alongside photographs of luxury homes. Regavim said it aimed to show how selective imagery could influence public opinion and foreign policy, while acknowledging that poverty existed.

The photographs document individual examples of wealth. They do not establish how common such wealth is across the Palestinian population. In its May 2026 economic update, the World Bank reported that economic activity in the West Bank remained substantially below its pre-October 2023 level, despite modest growth in 2025.

Luxury homes and American ties

The villages of Mukhmas, Deir Dibwan and Turmus Ayya feature prominently, with large homes and substantial ties to Palestinian communities in the United States. Some properties appeared unoccupied when photographed; a single visit cannot establish whether a home is used seasonally or stands vacant long-term.

Turmus Ayya’s mayor estimated earlier this month that about 80% of the town’s residents held US citizenship. That estimate applies to Turmus Ayya and should not be extended to the other villages.

Building permits depend on location

The properties featured include homes in Areas B and C, administrative divisions established under the Oslo agreements. The framework assigned Palestinian authorities civilian responsibilities in Area B, including planning, while Israel retained planning authority in Area C.

Construction in Area C requires Israeli approval. Establishing whether a particular property was built without permission requires checking its location and permit records. The material reviewed did not substantiate the original article’s suggestion that a large proportion of the featured homes were illegal. UN humanitarian officials have also documented the difficulty Palestinians face in obtaining building permits in Area C.

Naomi Kahn, director of Regavim’s international division, said: “For years, the international community has been fed a slanted picture that presents Palestinian life in the West Bank solely through the prism of poverty and oppression.

“We decided to turn the camera toward the reality on the ground: In just one day of photography, we documented enormous villas, swimming pools, and extraordinary private wealth that are systematically erased from the biased narrative.

“International policy must be based on facts and not on manipulation. ‘Real Estate Under Occupation’ invites decision-makers and the public to see the full picture with their own eyes.”