Zionist Forces Demolish Barn, Uproot Trees near al-Khalil

AL-KHALIL, Occupied West Bank– Zionist forces on Sunday demolished a poultry barn and uprooted dozes of fruitful trees in al-Arroub refugee camp, to the north of the occupied West Bank city of al-Khalil, according to local sources.

Mohammad Awad, a local activist, told WAFA that staff from the so-called Israeli Civil Administration accompanied by bulldozers proceeded to demolish the barn and to uproot dozens of trees surrounding it.

The demolished barn belongs to local Palestinian citizen Khalid al-Samahin and is 600-meter-square of size.

The Israeli authorities citied construction without permission as the reason for the demolition, a pretext which Israel has used over the years to restrict Palestinian construction in Area C of the occupied West Bank, which makes up about 60% of the total area of the region.

 Israeli settlers level land near Nablus

In Nablus, Israeli settlers proceeded on Sunday to level a large tract of land in the village of Jalud, near the occupied West Bank city of Nablus, according to local sources.

Ghassan Daghlas, who monitors Israeli settlement activities in the north of the West Bank, told WAFA that Jewish settlers who apparently came from the illegal outposts of EshKodesh and Ahiyalevelled the land in what appeared to be a planned move.

He said the day before, Israeli forces denied access of Palestinian farmers from Jalud to the same land, which might mean that the leveling of the land was preplanned.

Meanwhile, Jewish settlers attacked with dog’s Palestinian shepherds and their sheep in the northern Jordan Valley region of the occupied West Bank, but only caused minor injuries to some of the sheep.

Israeli settler violence against Palestinians and their property is commonplace in the West Bank and is rarely prosecuted by Israeli authorities. It includes arsons of property and mosques, stone-throwing, uprooting of crops and olive trees, attacks on vulnerable homes, among others.

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.

Wafa News Agency

R.S