BETHLEHEM (Palestine Foundation Information Center) A horde of extremist Jewish settlers wreaked havoc on an olive grove in the area of Khalayel al-Loz in the southeast of Bethlehem in the occupied West Bank on Sunday.
According to local sources, a group of settlers infiltrated into the area in the morning and destroyed dozens of fruitful olive trees belonging to local farmers.
As the Palestinian olive season started last October, Israeli forces and settlers escalated their attacks and violations against West Bank farmers and their lands.
Settler violence against Palestinians is a daily issue in the West Bank. Instead of taking action to combat their crimes, the Israeli military and security authorities aid and abet settlers in harming Palestinians, destroying their property and seizing their lands.
Settlers carry out a variety of crimes against Palestinians under military protection, including physical assaults, stone throwing, threats and harassment, damaging of trees and crops, vandalism of cars, blocking of roads and even firing of live ammunition.
However, their crimes increase during the Palestinian olive harvest season.