Israel forces, settlers uproot 300 olive, grape, fig trees in Salfit

Israeli occupation forces and settlers this morning razed 40 dunums (10 acres) of privately owned Palestinian land in the town of Haris to the west of Salfit and cut down around 300 olive, grape and fig trees, WAFA reported.

Speaking to the Palestinian news agency, Rateb Azzat, one of the owners of the land, said Israeli occupation forces stormed the western part of the town of Haris and uprooted and destroyed over 300 fruit trees.

Meanwhile, illegal settlers uprooted and destroyed around 35 olive trees owned by a local Palestinian resident in the same town.

The owner, Khaled Aqel, told WAFA that settlers from the illegal settlement of Kiryat Netafim uprooted and stole olive saplings and destroyed several other olive trees which were carrying fruit.

This came a day after Israeli occupation forces issued 12 notices to stop work and construction in the western area of Masha village, west of Salfit.

Local sources told WAFA that the occupation forces stormed the western area of the village and handed stop work notices to a football field and 11 shacks which are under construction.

READ: 1,000-year-old Palestinian olive trees burnt down by Israeli settlers