Settlers attack Palestinian towns, as Israeli military surveys lands in Beita
Settler violence has been escalating in the West Bank since the beginning of the year.
Jerusalem24 – Yesterday, the Israeli forces and settlers escalated their attacks against Palestinians in the West Bank, including burning properties on land in the town of Battir, West of Bethlehem, damaging an electricity pole in the town of Jalud, South of Nablus, and carrying out a new incursion into the Al-Aqsa Mosque.
Local sources reported that a number of settlers stormed the “fires” in the al-Khimar area, located between the lands of al-Makhrour in Beit Jala and Battir, and set fire to benches and other supplies at the site, for the second time in a week.
They also indicated that there is an escalation by the settlers under the protection of the Israeli forces in the area, represented by razing and erecting mobile homes “caravans”, with the aim of to establish a settlement outpost.
In the village of Jalud, settlers damaged one of the main electricity poles that feeds Khirbet Sarah, West of the village, at midnight. The damage led to the disruption of the network lines, which are in danger of complete collapse. The settlers were said to be targeting, through the attack, to cut off electricity to Khirbet Sarah, located in the heart of the settlements of “Shilo” and “Shvut Rachel”, after they destroyed the electricity network East of Jalud last month.
Israeli forces also seized a bulldozer that was working on land belonging to Furush Beit Dajan, and Ein Shibli, East of Nablus.
In the south of Nablus, the Civil Administration of the Israeli authorities began surveying the lands on which the “Evitar” settlement outpost which was built on Jabal Sbeih, near the town of Beita.
According to the Israeli Channel Seven, this step comes to implement an agreement signed between the Israeli government and the Regional Council of the “Samaria” settlements about 10 days ago, with the aim of surveying the lands to prepare for the settlers’ return to it and the establishment of a religious school.
The survey work includes examining a land area of about 95 dunums (23 Acres) of the outpost’s lands, in order to allow it to be declared “state” land with a view to being recognized as an official settlement.
The Shomron Settlement Council Chairman, Yossi Dagan, formed a steering committee in the council whose task is to accompany planning for the establishment of the “Evitar” settlement, to determine the settlement’s needs.
On the other hand, a young man was shot by the Israeli military, yesterday evening, while he was near the separation wall, southeast of Qalqilya.
Eyewitnesses reported that the Israeli forces fired live bullets at a young man near the separation wall, wounding him in the thigh which prompted the need to transfer him to a hospital.
