3 oct 2018
Israeli settlers uprooted dozens of Palestinian-owned olive trees on Wednesday, in the village of Turmusayya, north of the central occupied West Bank district of Ramallah.
Locals said that Israeli settlers from the illegal settlements of Adi Ad and Amichai, which were built on lands belongings to the residents of Turmusayya village, uprooted 40 olive trees.
Ma’an News Agency sources confirmed that the uprooted olive trees belonged to local Mahmoud al-Araj.
Israeli settlers constantly harass Palestinian farmers and residents in the village, in the attempt to force them out of their lands, as part of an Israeli plan to expand illegal settlements nearby.
For hundreds of Palestinian families, olive trees are the main source of income, however when harvest season approaches, Israeli settlers target Palestinian lands and cause severe economic damages.
According to a report by Israeli NGO B’Tselem, Israeli settlers’ vandalism in the occupied West Bank is a daily routine and is fully backed by Israeli authorities.
B’Tselem reported that “In just over two months, from the beginning of May to 7 July 2018, B’Tselem documented 10 instances in which settlers destroyed a total of more than 2,000 trees and grapevines and burned down a barley field and bales of hay.”
B’Tselem also argues that, under the guise of a “temporary military occupation,” Israel has been “using the land as its own: robbing land, exploiting the area’s natural resources for its own benefit and establishing permanent settlements,” estimating that Israel had dispossessed Palestinians from some 200,000 hectares (494,211 acres) of lands in the occupied Palestinian territory over the years.
Between 500,000 and 600,000 Israelis live in Jewish-only settlements across occupied East Jerusalem and the West Bank, in violation of international law, with recent announcements of settlement expansion provoking condemnation from the international community.
Locals said that Israeli settlers from the illegal settlements of Adi Ad and Amichai, which were built on lands belongings to the residents of Turmusayya village, uprooted 40 olive trees.
Ma’an News Agency sources confirmed that the uprooted olive trees belonged to local Mahmoud al-Araj.
Israeli settlers constantly harass Palestinian farmers and residents in the village, in the attempt to force them out of their lands, as part of an Israeli plan to expand illegal settlements nearby.
For hundreds of Palestinian families, olive trees are the main source of income, however when harvest season approaches, Israeli settlers target Palestinian lands and cause severe economic damages.
According to a report by Israeli NGO B’Tselem, Israeli settlers’ vandalism in the occupied West Bank is a daily routine and is fully backed by Israeli authorities.
B’Tselem reported that “In just over two months, from the beginning of May to 7 July 2018, B’Tselem documented 10 instances in which settlers destroyed a total of more than 2,000 trees and grapevines and burned down a barley field and bales of hay.”
B’Tselem also argues that, under the guise of a “temporary military occupation,” Israel has been “using the land as its own: robbing land, exploiting the area’s natural resources for its own benefit and establishing permanent settlements,” estimating that Israel had dispossessed Palestinians from some 200,000 hectares (494,211 acres) of lands in the occupied Palestinian territory over the years.
Between 500,000 and 600,000 Israelis live in Jewish-only settlements across occupied East Jerusalem and the West Bank, in violation of international law, with recent announcements of settlement expansion provoking condemnation from the international community.
1 oct 2018
Israeli occupation forces and groups of Israeli settlers on Monday afternoon attacked Palestinian citizens while they were picking olives in Azzun town, east of Qalqilya.
Local sources told the PIC reporter that the settlers assaulted the Palestinian citizens near the Apartheid Wall while escorted by Israeli soldiers.
The Israeli forces further disrupted the Palestinian farmers' work and detained six of them, they added.
Local sources told the PIC reporter that the settlers assaulted the Palestinian citizens near the Apartheid Wall while escorted by Israeli soldiers.
The Israeli forces further disrupted the Palestinian farmers' work and detained six of them, they added.
26 sept 2018
An Israeli settlement guard, Wednesday, set fire to Palestinian-owned agricultural land planted with olive trees in the town of al-Lubban al-Sharqiya, to the south of Nablus, in the northern occupied West Bank, said a local official.
The village mayor Samer Awais said, according to WAFA, that a security guard from the settlement of Eli, built illegally on Palestinian land, set ablaze four dunams of agricultural land located at the entrance of the town and adjacent to the Ramallah-Nablus road, burning dozens of olive trees.
The town residents and with the help of fire crews were able to put out the fire, he said.
The village mayor Samer Awais said, according to WAFA, that a security guard from the settlement of Eli, built illegally on Palestinian land, set ablaze four dunams of agricultural land located at the entrance of the town and adjacent to the Ramallah-Nablus road, burning dozens of olive trees.
The town residents and with the help of fire crews were able to put out the fire, he said.
25 sept 2018
Israeli settlers, on Tuesday, uprooted at least half a dozen fruitful olive trees in al-Hamra area, south of Hebron, in the occupied West Bank, said a local activist.
The popular committee coordinator in Yatta, Rateb al-Jabour, told WAFA that settlers from the Israeli settlements of Ma’on and Havat Ma’on, built illegally on Yatta town land, in Hebron, uprooted around six fruitful olive trees belonging to two local residents who were identified as Salameh and Ibrahim Rabee.
Such actions are routinely carried out by Israeli extremists, in the occupied West Bank, with no intervention from law enforcement officials.
The popular committee coordinator in Yatta, Rateb al-Jabour, told WAFA that settlers from the Israeli settlements of Ma’on and Havat Ma’on, built illegally on Yatta town land, in Hebron, uprooted around six fruitful olive trees belonging to two local residents who were identified as Salameh and Ibrahim Rabee.
Such actions are routinely carried out by Israeli extremists, in the occupied West Bank, with no intervention from law enforcement officials.
23 sept 2018
Israeli occupation forces (IOF) on Sunday afternoon stormed Beit Nahalin town, west of the West Bank city of Bethlehem.
Beit Nahalin's mayor Subhi Zeidan said that the IOF raided the town amid heavy firing of live ammunition, sound bombs and teargas canisters, which led to the outbreak of violent clashes.
Zeidan said that the IOF further closed the main entrance to the town, adding that no injuries were reported in the clashes.
He noted that fire flared up in a Palestinian farmland planted with olive trees near Beitar Illit settlement, without giving further details about the incident.
Beit Nahalin's mayor Subhi Zeidan said that the IOF raided the town amid heavy firing of live ammunition, sound bombs and teargas canisters, which led to the outbreak of violent clashes.
Zeidan said that the IOF further closed the main entrance to the town, adding that no injuries were reported in the clashes.
He noted that fire flared up in a Palestinian farmland planted with olive trees near Beitar Illit settlement, without giving further details about the incident.
21 sept 2018
Dozens of Palestinians were injured on Friday afternoon when the Israeli occupation forces (IOF) violently quelled peaceful demonstrations in different West Bank areas.
At least 12 Palestinians, including a journalist, were injured by rubber-coated metal bullets, while dozens others suffered teargas inhalation when the IOF attacked a demonstration in Ras Karkar village, west of Ramallah.
Local sources said that Palestinians have organized peaceful demonstrations over the past three weeks in Ras Karkar in protest at Israel's confiscation of Palestinian-owned lands in the village in favor of settlement projects.
Two Palestinian youths were injured by rubber-coated metal bullets and others choked on teargas when the IOF quelled the weekly demonstration of Kafr Qaddum, east of Qalqilya, which calls for opening the village's main road that was closed 15 years ago.
Popular resistance coordinator Murad Shtewi said that the IOF attacked the protesters with live ammunition, rubber-coated metal bullets, sound bombs, and teargas canisters, while Palestinian youths responded by throwing stones and empty bottles.
Meanwhile in Ramallah, a number of Palestinian citizens suffered breathing difficulties as a result of inhaling teargas during the IOF quelling of Bil'in's weekly demonstration against settlement.
Local sources said that the IOF heavily fired teargas canisters at the demonstrators, burning some dunums of Palestinian lands planted with olive trees.
At least 12 Palestinians, including a journalist, were injured by rubber-coated metal bullets, while dozens others suffered teargas inhalation when the IOF attacked a demonstration in Ras Karkar village, west of Ramallah.
Local sources said that Palestinians have organized peaceful demonstrations over the past three weeks in Ras Karkar in protest at Israel's confiscation of Palestinian-owned lands in the village in favor of settlement projects.
Two Palestinian youths were injured by rubber-coated metal bullets and others choked on teargas when the IOF quelled the weekly demonstration of Kafr Qaddum, east of Qalqilya, which calls for opening the village's main road that was closed 15 years ago.
Popular resistance coordinator Murad Shtewi said that the IOF attacked the protesters with live ammunition, rubber-coated metal bullets, sound bombs, and teargas canisters, while Palestinian youths responded by throwing stones and empty bottles.
Meanwhile in Ramallah, a number of Palestinian citizens suffered breathing difficulties as a result of inhaling teargas during the IOF quelling of Bil'in's weekly demonstration against settlement.
Local sources said that the IOF heavily fired teargas canisters at the demonstrators, burning some dunums of Palestinian lands planted with olive trees.
20 sept 2018
In the town of Kifl Hares, north of Salfit, the owners of the land are forbidden from entering their land during the olive season. In the current season, which begins several days later, farmer Ahmed Buzia wanted to enter his land near the settlement of Ariel with a group of volunteers, yet their efforts were in vain.
Killing the joy of olive season
Farmer Bouzia says: “Despite the joy of the arrival of the olive season, the occupation didn’t allow us to feel its beauty, we are not even allowed to enter our land which we used to enter whenever we liked.”
“We wait hours in front of the settlement of Ariel to no avail, and sometimes according to the mood of the soldier or the officer, we are allowed to enter but without a tractor, they search us and insult us,” he told the PIC reporter.
Prevention and arrest
Two days ago, the Israeli occupation authorities prevented farmers from Kifl Hares from entering their agricultural land near the settlement of Ariel, north of Salfit. Farmer, Abdel Karim Mahmud Yousef was arrested from the town while trying to enter his land adjacent to the settlement.
According to farmers from Kifl Hares, Israeli soldiers demand permission to allow entry into the olive fields adjacent to the settlement. The West Bank farmers generally suffer every season from not being allowed to cultivate their land near the settlements and behind the wall except for a few times.
Season of harvest
According to the Agriculture Director in Salfit, Ibrahim Al-Hamad, the Israeli occupation’s restrictions harm the farmers of Salfit villages and towns every season, including the town of Kifl Hares, stressing that the date of harvesting olives this year is on Friday, 12 October 2018, and that it is not right to pick it up early, but it is alright to delay it.
Assaults
Ghassan Daghlas, the head of the West Bank settlements profile, warned of the escalation of settler attacks as the preparations for the olive harvest begins including attacking Palestinian property and farmland, as date for olive harvest on 12 October approaches, calling on farmers to beware of attacks.
Researcher Khaled Maali pointed out that the Israeli army and settlers deliberately disturb farmers’ joy during the season in many ways such as: preventing them from accessing their land, cutting trees and branches, pouring incendiary materials on trees, beating farmers, shooting at them, stealing the fruits of olive trees, prohibition of picking fruits from fields near settlements or behind the wall, bulldozing trees for the benefit of settlement expansion, uprooting olive trees and re-planting them in the settlements, and many more.
Killing the joy of olive season
Farmer Bouzia says: “Despite the joy of the arrival of the olive season, the occupation didn’t allow us to feel its beauty, we are not even allowed to enter our land which we used to enter whenever we liked.”
“We wait hours in front of the settlement of Ariel to no avail, and sometimes according to the mood of the soldier or the officer, we are allowed to enter but without a tractor, they search us and insult us,” he told the PIC reporter.
Prevention and arrest
Two days ago, the Israeli occupation authorities prevented farmers from Kifl Hares from entering their agricultural land near the settlement of Ariel, north of Salfit. Farmer, Abdel Karim Mahmud Yousef was arrested from the town while trying to enter his land adjacent to the settlement.
According to farmers from Kifl Hares, Israeli soldiers demand permission to allow entry into the olive fields adjacent to the settlement. The West Bank farmers generally suffer every season from not being allowed to cultivate their land near the settlements and behind the wall except for a few times.
Season of harvest
According to the Agriculture Director in Salfit, Ibrahim Al-Hamad, the Israeli occupation’s restrictions harm the farmers of Salfit villages and towns every season, including the town of Kifl Hares, stressing that the date of harvesting olives this year is on Friday, 12 October 2018, and that it is not right to pick it up early, but it is alright to delay it.
Assaults
Ghassan Daghlas, the head of the West Bank settlements profile, warned of the escalation of settler attacks as the preparations for the olive harvest begins including attacking Palestinian property and farmland, as date for olive harvest on 12 October approaches, calling on farmers to beware of attacks.
Researcher Khaled Maali pointed out that the Israeli army and settlers deliberately disturb farmers’ joy during the season in many ways such as: preventing them from accessing their land, cutting trees and branches, pouring incendiary materials on trees, beating farmers, shooting at them, stealing the fruits of olive trees, prohibition of picking fruits from fields near settlements or behind the wall, bulldozing trees for the benefit of settlement expansion, uprooting olive trees and re-planting them in the settlements, and many more.
Ecologists and farmers have sounded alarm bells over the acute damage wrought by Israel’s sewage disposal pouring into Palestinian olive groves in Salfit.
Reporting from the scene, eye-witnesses said Palestinian cultivated lands have been terribly tainted by sewage waste spilling from the Israeli Baduel settlement, built on Palestinian lands in Salfit.
Researcher Khaled Maali warned of the tragic fallouts of sewage waste, mingled with industrial chemicals, which has been pouring into Palestinian springs and streams from 25 Israeli settlements and industrial zones.
Salfit, home to natural masterpieces and prolific agricultural output, has been turned into a source of epidemics, infectious diseases, insects, rodents, pigs, and stench due to Israel’s untreated sewage disposal and frenzied settlement activity.
Reporting from the scene, eye-witnesses said Palestinian cultivated lands have been terribly tainted by sewage waste spilling from the Israeli Baduel settlement, built on Palestinian lands in Salfit.
Researcher Khaled Maali warned of the tragic fallouts of sewage waste, mingled with industrial chemicals, which has been pouring into Palestinian springs and streams from 25 Israeli settlements and industrial zones.
Salfit, home to natural masterpieces and prolific agricultural output, has been turned into a source of epidemics, infectious diseases, insects, rodents, pigs, and stench due to Israel’s untreated sewage disposal and frenzied settlement activity.
13 sept 2018
Israeli settlers on Thursday burned dozens of olive trees in Minya town, south of Bethlehem in occupied West Bank.
According to Quds Press, Israeli settlers torched olive trees planted on Palestinian land belonging to Matur family.
The Palestinian locals were shocked as they caught sight of 200 of olive trees reduced to ashes as preparations for olive-picking got underway in the occupied territories.
According to Quds Press, Israeli settlers torched olive trees planted on Palestinian land belonging to Matur family.
The Palestinian locals were shocked as they caught sight of 200 of olive trees reduced to ashes as preparations for olive-picking got underway in the occupied territories.
10 sept 2018
A number of Israeli colonizers invaded, on Monday morning, a Palestinian olive orchard in the al-Hamra area, east of Yatta town, south of the southern West Bank city of Hebron, and cut at least fifteen trees.
The coordinator of the National and Popular Committees in southern Hebron, Rateb Jabour, told the Palestinian News and Info Agency (WAFA) that the Israeli assailants cut more than fifteen trees, owned by members of Rib’ey family.
Jabour added that the colonizer came from Ma’on and Havat Ma’on colonies, which were illegally built on private Palestinian lands.
He also stated that the attack is part of numerous similar violations over the last several years, and added that the colonists are trying to occupy the lands to build and expand their illegal colonies, and outposts.
Jabour called on national, legal, regional and international organizations and human rights groups, to intervene and help in ending the seriously escalating Israeli violations.
The coordinator of the National and Popular Committees in southern Hebron, Rateb Jabour, told the Palestinian News and Info Agency (WAFA) that the Israeli assailants cut more than fifteen trees, owned by members of Rib’ey family.
Jabour added that the colonizer came from Ma’on and Havat Ma’on colonies, which were illegally built on private Palestinian lands.
He also stated that the attack is part of numerous similar violations over the last several years, and added that the colonists are trying to occupy the lands to build and expand their illegal colonies, and outposts.
Jabour called on national, legal, regional and international organizations and human rights groups, to intervene and help in ending the seriously escalating Israeli violations.
7 sept 2018
Israeli soldiers attacked, Friday, the weekly nonviolent protest against the Annexation Wall and colonies in Bil’in village, west of the central West Bank city of Ramallah, causing several injuries, and burning many olive trees.
The procession started from the center of the village when dozens of Palestinians, Israeli and international peace activists marched towards the Annexation Wall, isolating the villagers from their orchards, near Abu Lemon area.
They chanted against the ongoing illegal Israeli occupation and its illegal colonies, in addition to condemning the so-called “Deal of the Century.”
They carried Palestinian flags and marched chanting for national unity, and ongoing resistance until liberation and independence, the release of all detainees and the Right of Return of the refugees.
Several protesters managed to reach the iron gate of the Annexation Wall, and started banging on it in addition to writing graffiti calling for liberty and independence, while the soldiers, stationed at military towers and on hilltops filmed them.
The army also fired many gas bombs and concussion grenades at the protesters and the orchards, causing many to suffer the effects of teargas inhalation, and burning trees before Palestinian firefighters rushed to extinguish it.
Rateb Abu Rahma, the coordinator of the Popular Committee against the Wall and Colonies in Bil’in, called for extensive solidarity with the villages of al-Khan al-Ahmar Bedouin Palestinian community near Jerusalem, facing displacement, yet again, due to Israel’s illegal colonialist activities.
The procession started from the center of the village when dozens of Palestinians, Israeli and international peace activists marched towards the Annexation Wall, isolating the villagers from their orchards, near Abu Lemon area.
They chanted against the ongoing illegal Israeli occupation and its illegal colonies, in addition to condemning the so-called “Deal of the Century.”
They carried Palestinian flags and marched chanting for national unity, and ongoing resistance until liberation and independence, the release of all detainees and the Right of Return of the refugees.
Several protesters managed to reach the iron gate of the Annexation Wall, and started banging on it in addition to writing graffiti calling for liberty and independence, while the soldiers, stationed at military towers and on hilltops filmed them.
The army also fired many gas bombs and concussion grenades at the protesters and the orchards, causing many to suffer the effects of teargas inhalation, and burning trees before Palestinian firefighters rushed to extinguish it.
Rateb Abu Rahma, the coordinator of the Popular Committee against the Wall and Colonies in Bil’in, called for extensive solidarity with the villages of al-Khan al-Ahmar Bedouin Palestinian community near Jerusalem, facing displacement, yet again, due to Israel’s illegal colonialist activities.
Israeli occupation forces banned on Friday morning Palestinian farmers from entering their olive groves near Israel’s illegal settlement outpost of Ariel, north of Salfit province.
Eye-witnesses said Israeli security guards forced Palestinian farmers out of the area on claims that they do not hold permits to enter their cultivated lands.
Researcher Khaled Maali said Palestinian farmers across Salfit are often prevented by the Israeli military and settler gangs from reaching their olive groves to irrigate their full-grown trees in anticipation of the olive-picking season.
Eye-witnesses said Israeli security guards forced Palestinian farmers out of the area on claims that they do not hold permits to enter their cultivated lands.
Researcher Khaled Maali said Palestinian farmers across Salfit are often prevented by the Israeli military and settler gangs from reaching their olive groves to irrigate their full-grown trees in anticipation of the olive-picking season.
