Settlers storm shrines, vandalize vehicles in Salfit-district town

Israeli settlers today stormed Islamic shrines and vandalized vehicles in Kifl Haris town, north of the West Bank city of Salfit, according to local sources.

The town mayor, Ali al-Qaq, said that settlers, under military protection, broke into the Prophet Thu Al-Kifl, Prophet Thu An-Noon and Prophet Yosha shrines.

They vandalized the vehicles of three of the town residents, smashing the windshields of one and slashing the tires of two others.

Israel uses the Jewish nationalist name “Judea and Samaria” to refer to the occupied West Bank to reinforce its bogus claims to the territory and to give them a veneer of historical and religious legitimacy.

There are over 700,000 Israeli settlers living in colonial settlements in the West Bank and East Jerusalem in violation of international law.

Located some five kilometers to the north of Salfit city, Kifl Haris has a population of some 4,450 and occupies a total area of some 9,300 dunams.

Under the Oslo Accords, an agreement made 25 years ago that was supposed to last just five years towards a self-governing country alongside Israel, the Palestinian Authority was given limited control over 42 percent of the village total area, classified as area B, which constitutes of the built-up area of the village. In contrast, Israel maintains control over the remainder, classified as Area C, which constitutes mostly of agricultural areas, open spaces and lands confiscated for colonial settlements.

Israel has seized large tracts of the village land for the construction of Ariel, the second largest colonial settlement in the West Bank in terms of area. It has confiscated more land for the construction of settler-only by-pass Road 5 and Road 505, which extend for 4.6 kilometers on the village’s land.

Source: Palestinian News & Information Agency