Abandoned Palestinian village near Jerusalem frozen in time

Lifta, a Palestinian village on the western outskirts of Jerusalem was depopulated in 1948, now faces a new development threat.

Ultra orthodox Jewish family members tour in Lifta, located in Jerusalem's mountains, January 30, 2014.
AP

Ultra orthodox Jewish family members tour in Lifta, located in Jerusalem's mountains, January 30, 2014.

A 10-minute walk from the bustle of Jerusalem's central bus station, an abandoned Palestinian village called Lifta, is a journey back in time.

Lifta's crumbling remains are a sanctuary of silence.

Until 1948, Lifta was an affluent Muslim Palestinian village of around 2,500 abutting the main road connecting Jerusalem and Tel Aviv.

It was the scene of skirmishes between Jewish and Arab forces during the lead-up to the 1948 war, during which it was depopulated.

The village was incorporated into the state of Israel, and the residents who fled were not allowed to return.

Now the Palestinian land find themselves torn between the old and the new.

TRT World's Kerry Alexandra has more on the story.

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Route 6