Ramallah:Colonists and Israeli forces conducted 15 attacks against Palestinian farmers and their lands across six West Bank governorates within a 12-hour period on Monday, as reported by the Wall and Settlement Resistance Commission. These incidents occurred between 600 a.m. and 600 p.m.
According to Palestine news & Information Agency – WAFA – English, the attacks involved burning and uprooting olive trees, bulldozing agricultural land, damaging water sources, stealing crops, detaining farmers, seizing a vehicle, and preventing Palestinians from accessing their lands. Additionally, Israeli authorities initiated the construction of a new concrete wall alongside lands belonging to the village of Marda, north of Salfit.
The commission highlighted that these attacks denote an escalation targeting the core of Palestinian agricultural production, extending beyond interference with the olive harvest to imposing restrictions on land use and separating owners from their property. It warned that if these practices persist, they could transform into a permanent geographical reality that restricts Palestinians' access to their lands. The commission urged the international community to intervene to stop the attacks, protect farmers, their trees and water sources, and ensure accountability for those responsible for the destruction and seizure of agricultural property.
In its monthly report, the commission noted that Israeli forces and colonists executed 3,133 attacks against Palestinians, their lands, and property across the occupied West Bank in October, marking a 52.8% increase compared to September. Out of these, 1,764 attacks were conducted by Israeli forces and 1,369 by colonists, demonstrating a 111.6% surge in colonist attacks from the previous month. The report also recorded damage to 5,890 trees in October, including 4,498 olive trees, amidst increasing attacks on agricultural lands during the harvest season.