UN Warns of Increasing Settler Violence During Olive Picking Season in West Bank

Deputy spokesman of the UN Secretary-General Farhan Haq warned of the increasing violence of Israeli settlers against Palestinians during the olive picking season in the West Bank.

In a press conference quoted by WAFA News Agency, Haq confirmed that the increased violence perpetrated by settlers during the olive picking season in the West Bank threatens the security and livelihood of Palestinians in the area.

He stated that “32 attacks by Israeli settlers have been documented since the beginning of the month”, indicating that 39 Palestinians were injured while picking olives during these attacks, and some 600 trees and seedlings were vandalized, cut or stolen.

In this context, a settler attacked Palestinians today while they were picking olives on their land in the Batin Al-Ma’si area, south of the town of al-Khader, south of Bethlehem, and forced them to leave their land.

The occupying forces also attacked a foreign activist while helping the Palestinians, picking olives in  the village of Susiya in Musaffer Yatta, south of Hebron.