Hebron/PNN/

Israeli settlers today attacked and injured a Palestinian shepherd while herding in the open pastures in the Masafer Yatta area in the south of the West Bank, according to a local activist.

Fouad al-Imour, an activist with a local steadfast committee, said settlers assaulted the shepherd, Hamza Ahmad Najjar, while attending to his sheep near Shaab al-Batam community and beat him up causing bruises.

Najjar was taken to a clinic in the area for treatment, he said.

Settlers, protected by soldiers, regularly attack Palestinian shepherds in Masafer Yatta and force them to leave the pastures while they let their herd free to roam the pastures and even cultivated Palestinian farmlands in order to destroy them as part of their plans to forcibly remove the Palestinians from Masafer Yatta.