Bethlehem: Israeli occupation forces uprooted hundreds of olive trees on Monday in the Wadi al-Hummus area near the town of Dar Salah and the village of al-Khas, east of Bethlehem, according to a local activist. Activist Nidal Hazibi informed that Israeli forces bulldozed nearly 50 dunums of land in the al-Buq'a site of Wadi al-Hummus, uprooting hundreds of olive trees over 60 years old belonging to Palestinian residents of Bethlehem and the Sur Baher area, in addition to several forest trees.
According to Palestine News and Information Agency - WAFA, approximately a week ago, Israeli forces stormed the area and created an opening in the separation wall to facilitate upcoming land leveling. The Colonization and Wall Resistance Commission reported that Israeli forces and colonists carried out a total of 1,965 attacks during February, reflecting ongoing actions against the Palestinian people and their property. The Israeli army conducted 1,454 of these attacks, while colonists were responsible for 511, with the majority occurring in the governorates of Hebron, Nablus, Ramallah and al-Bireh, and Jerusalem.
The commission detailed that these attacks included direct physical assaults, uprooting of trees, burning of fields, seizure of property, and demolition of homes and agricultural structures. Additionally, significant areas of Palestinian land remain inaccessible due to restrictions imposed by Israeli forces under security pretexts, while colonists continue to expand into these restricted areas.