Israeli Settlers Uproot 200 Olive Trees in South Hebron Hills

Watan-Israeli settlers uprooted approximately 200 olive trees on Monday in the Palestinian area of Masafer Yatta, located in the southern part of the occupied West Bank.

Farmer Mohammad Makhammrah, from the town of Susiya in Masafer Yatta, said that a group of settlers destroyed and uprooted around 200 olive trees that were eight years old.

“I rely entirely on agriculture, and for years I’ve been subjected to settler assaults—including physical attacks and the uprooting of trees,” Makhammrah said.

He added, “The settlers aim to strip the land of trees and leave it barren to facilitate its confiscation under the pretext that it is unused.”

“No matter what happens, we will replant and remain on our land. We will not abandon it to the settlers,” he affirmed.

On Sunday, settlers also uprooted and broke around 180 olive and citrus trees in the town of Azzun, east of Qalqilya in the northern West Bank.

Settler assaults are on the rise across the West Bank, including attacks on Palestinians, their homes, and their properties, in addition to the construction of new outposts.

According to the Palestinian Authority’s Wall and Settlement Resistance Commission, settlers attempted to establish 15 new settlement outposts in May alone, most of which were agricultural or grazing-based.

During the same month, the commission documented 415 settler attacks against Palestinians and their properties, ranging from armed assaults and vandalism to land bulldozing, tree uprooting, and forced closures.