Hebron: Israeli colonists Tuesday evening sabotaged Palestinian-owned crops in Khirbet al-Mafqara of the Masafer Yatta, south of the occupied West Bank city of Hebron, according to a local anti-settler-colonialism activist.
According to Palestine News and Information Agency – WAFA, Osama Makhamra reported that Israeli colonists stormed Khirbet al-Mafqara, one of the hamlets making up Masafer Yatta. The colonists roamed between civilians’ houses, grazed their sheep on olive groves belonging to Fayez and Shehada Makhamra, both farmers, and vandalized crops belonging to Kayed Makhamra.
In addition, the colonists released their cattle in the vicinity of Farid al-Hamamdeh’s dwelling and vandalized saplings and fruit trees. This incident is part of a larger pattern of violence perpetrated by colonists against Palestinians and their property in the West Bank.
Colonists’ violence, which includes property and mosque arsons, stone-throwing, uprooting of crops and olive trees, and attacks on vulnerable homes, is rarely prosecuted by Israeli authorities. Over 700,000 Israeli colonists are currently living in colonies in the West Bank and East Jerusalem, in violation of international law.