Israeli colonists torch olive groves east of Salfit

Israeli colonists Tuesday evening torched olive groves belonging to the Yasuf village, east of the occupied West Bank city of Salfit, according to a local official. Wael Abu Madi, head of Yasuf Village Council, said that colonists set fire to olive trees in the al-Khalleh area, north of the village, damaging scores of trees. He added that Israeli occupation forces arrived at the scene to defend the assailants and denied the villagers access to the area to put out the fire. Meanwhile, colonists kidnapped a Palestinian minor in Masafer Yatta, south of the occupied West Bank city of Hebron. Osama Makhamra, an activist, said that colonists from the Halat Maon settlement kidnapped a 15-year-old minor, identified as Salameh Kayed Makhamra, and escorted him to the settlement, where they beat him up before releasing him near Khirbet Maghyair al-Abid, one of the localities making up the Masafer Yatta. Colonists’ violence against Palestinians and their property is routine in the West Bank and is rarely prosecuted by Israeli authorities. Colonists’ violence includes property and mosque arsons, stone-throwing, uprooting of crops and olive trees, and attacks on vulnerable homes, among others. Over 700,000 Israeli colonists are living in colonies across occupied East Jerusalem and the West Bank in violation of international law. Source: Palestine News and Information Agency – WAFA