Settlers uproot olive saplings, attack farmers in Hebron

A group of Israeli settlers today uprooted scores of Palestinian-owned olive saplings and assaulted farmers outside the town of Surif, in the occupied West Bank province of Hebron, according to local sources.

Iyad Hrebat, mayor of the town, told WAFA that a group of Israeli settlers from the illegal settlement of Bat Ayin uprooted about 50 olive saplings near the village which belonged to local Palestinian farmers.

He said clashes broke out between local Palestinians and the Israeli occupation army in the aftermath of the incident.

Settler violence against Palestinians and their property is routine in the occupied West Bank and is rarely sanctioned by Israeli authorities. Palestinians, local and international monitors and officials believe that the Israeli government endorses settler violence by turning a blind eye to most attacks.

Over 700,000 Israelis live in Jewish-only settlements across the occupied West Bank and East Jerusalem in violation of international law.

Source: Palestinian News & Information Agency