Ramallah: Several Palestinian farmers suffered suffocation and burns on Saturday after being sprayed with pepper gas by colonists in the town of Kafr Malik, east of Ramallah. Jihad al-Qaq, an activist in the town, reported that a group of colonists attacked the farmers, along with foreign solidarity activists and a delegation from the Anti-Wall and Settlement Commission, in the Al-Manateer area to the east, preventing them from reaching their lands.
According to Palestine News and Information Agency - WAFA, the colonists further sprayed pepper gas on the farmers, causing several to suffer from suffocation and burns. Al-Qaq added that a physical altercation broke out between the colonists, the farmers, and the delegations, who attempted to confront the repeated attacks.
On Friday, colonists attacked farmers and foreign solidarity activists in the town of Kafr Malik, preventing them from reaching their lands. The frequency of these attacks has raised concerns among local and international observers about the safety of farmers during the olive picking season.
The Wall and Settlement Resistance Commission reported that its teams have monitored a total of 158 attacks against olive pickers since the beginning of the current season. The occupation army carried out 17 attacks, while colonists were responsible for 141.
