RESTRICTION SUMMARY: Hebron - 16 November 2021. The Israeli army prevents Palestinian farmers from reaching their lands to pick olives, in the Sarara area, north of the village of Al-Shuyoukh, located to the northeast of the Hebron.

0.1 SOUNDBITE (in Arabic) Mohammed Al-Halaiqa, One of the land owners.

STORYLINE:

On Wednesday, Israeli military bulldozers destroyed two acres of farmland and dozens of olive trees in the West Bank city of Hebron, according to local residents.

At least 80 olive trees were chopped down by soldiers in Hebron, the residents said.

Palestinian farmers complain of repeated attacks on their farmlands by Israeli soldiers and settlers.

According to the Palestinian Grassroots Anti-Apartheid Wall Camping -- a coalition of Palestinian non-governmental organizations --, 2020 was the harshest year for the farmers. More than 8,400 olive trees were uprooted or burned.

In recent days, hard-line settlers have clashed with Israeli troops and vandalized Palestinian property in what are known as “price-tag” attacks — retaliations against perceived efforts by Israel to limit settlement expansion.

Nearly all of the more than 500,000 Israeli settlers in the West Bank reside in settlements but more radical settlers have set up dozens of outposts, often in rural areas, that are illegal.

The Israeli army has been hesitant to take action against the radical settlers, in part because it could lead to violent clashes.



Footage by APAwire