Mohamed Suleiman Othman, originally from Qalunya in the Jerusalem district, now resides in the Askar refugee camp in the West Bank.
Qalunya, situated 6 kilometers west of Jerusalem, was once home to a community of approximately 900 Muslim and 10 Christian residents in the mid-1940s. The village relied on its surrounding springs, which provided essential water for cultivating grains, vegetables, and an array of fruit trees, notably olive groves and vineyards. On April 11, 1948, Qalunya fell victim to Operation Nachshon, led by Palmach units, resulting in a devastating assault that lasted days and saw the systematic destruction of its homes, as documented by Israeli historian Benny Morris and the Haganah's records. The Nakba further wrought havoc on Qalunya, displacing the majority of its populace who became refugees, fleeing to neighboring Arab states or other parts of Palestine. Subsequently, under Israeli control post-Nakba, movement restrictions, and land seizures prevented the original inhabitants from returning. Today, Qalunya remains largely uninhabited, its original structures reduced to remnants. The village's lands have since been repurposed for Israeli settlements and agricultural use.