Israeli settlers burn 250 olive trees in Bethlehem

Israeli Jewish settlers yesterday burnt 250 olive trees planted in the Palestinian farms in the Jab’ah neighbourhood, located south of the occupied city of Bethlehem, Quds Press reported.

“Five Israeli settlers burnt the farms of Palestinian citizens from the Hamdan family in Jab’ah,” anti-settlement activist Mohamed Awad said. “Israeli occupation forces were in the background watching them and ready to step in if anyone stood up to the settlers.”

Yesterday, Palestinian medical sources reported that a group of Israeli settlers, protected by Israeli forces, assaulted a Palestinian pregnant woman in Tel Rumeida in Hebron.

When the woman was admitted to hospital, doctors said she must abort the baby to save her life as she had suffered severe bruising and scratches across her body.

Official Palestinian and UN statistics show that settlers and the occupation forces damaged around 800,000 Palestinian trees since the 1967 occupation.