WEST BANK, Palestine (PNN) —
Israeli settlers stepped up attacks against Palestinians and their property across the occupied West Bank and East Jerusalem on Tuesday, targeting farmers during the olive harvest season, setting vehicles ablaze, damaging agricultural property and obstructing students from reaching their schools.
In Beit Anan, northwest of Jerusalem, several Palestinians suffered from tear gas inhalation after Israeli forces fired tear gas and stun grenades at residents attempting to reach their agricultural lands in the areas of al-Salaqat and al-Burj, on the outskirts of the town.
Local sources said dozens of Palestinians were prevented from harvesting olives after settlers attacked them in the area under the protection of Israeli forces.
In the Nablus governorate, settlers set fire to two vehicles belonging to Wadie Zain al-Din and Alaa Zain al-Din early Tuesday after raiding the northern part of Majdal Bani Fadil village, south of the city. The vehicles were parked outside residents' homes when they were torched.
In Masafer Yatta, south of Hebron, settlers, accompanied by Israeli forces, blocked the road used by students from Khirbet Asfi and detained them as they were heading to al-Majaz and al-Fakhit schools. The incident prevented students from reaching their classrooms and disrupted their access to education, amid repeated attacks on residents of communities in the area.
In the northern Jordan Valley, settlers damaged agricultural greenhouses near the villages of Bardala and Kardala overnight, according to local rights activist Aref Daraghmeh.
The attacks are part of a recurring pattern targeting farmers' property and livelihoods, adding to the economic pressures facing Palestinians seeking to remain on their land.
According to the Wall and Settlement Resistance Commission, Israeli forces and settlers carried out 3,133 attacks against Palestinians, their land and property during October.
The commission said the increase reflected the expanding scope of attacks and the combined use of military and settlement-related measures targeting Palestinian communities and undermining their ability to remain on their land.
