Israeli settlers burn Palestinian olive trees south of Nablus
Israeli settlers have set fire to dozens of olive trees belonging to Palestinians in the village of Majdal Bani Fadil, south of Nablus in the occupied West Bank.
Rami Nassar, the head of the village council, said settlers from an outpost established about five months ago on village lands had attacked on Sunday night, blocking village residents from reaching the burning trees to extinguish the fires.
The fires affected a large area to the south of the village, he said.
The attack comes just days after the UN’s Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) said settler violence during this olive harvest season had reached the highest level recorded in recent years. About 150 attacks have been documented so far, it said, injuring some 140 Palestinians and vandalising more than 4,200 trees.
Israeli settlers destroy tent, crops in occupied West Bank
Israeli settlers have destroyed a residential tent and agricultural crops belonging to Palestinians in the northern Jordan Valley, the Wafa news agency is reporting.
The attack took place on Sunday night in Khirbet al-Farsiya in the occupied West Bank. Settlers also stole agricultural equipment during the attack, which came amid a wave of rising settler violence in the occupied West Bank.
Israel launches ‘large-scale’ military exercise across occupied West Bank
Israeli forces have begun a three-day exercise across the occupied West Bank, raising concerns among Palestinians over increased military activity.
The drills involve ground forces, the air force and special units operating in coordination with other branches of Israel’s security apparatus. The Israeli army said the exercise aims to test “operational readiness” for potential escalation scenarios.
It will include drones, mock enemy forces, and active troop and aircraft movement throughout Palestinian areas. Residents have been warned of a heightened military presence over the coming days.
Last year, the International Court of Justice ruled that Israel’s continued presence in the occupied Palestinian territory is unlawful and should come to an end “as rapidly as possible”.
Settlers attack shepherds
Israeli settlers have attacked Palestinian shepherds in the town of Aqraba, south of Nablus, to try to force them from grazing lands in Khirbet al-Tawil, according to the Wafa news agency.
Such attacks are frequent with settlers routinely harassing shepherds and preventing them from accessing pastures. It is part of a wider trend that has seen tens of thousands of acres of land across the occupied West Bank fall under settler control.
Teachers barred from crossing Israeli checkpoints to reach Jordan Valley schools
Israeli forces have blocked Palestinian teachers from reaching schools in the Jordan Valley, preventing them from crossing through the Hamra and Tayasir military checkpoints, the Wafa news agency is reporting.
The report quoted Azmi Balawneh, director of education for the Tubas governorate, as saying that dozens of teachers were forced to wait for hours as Israeli forces kept both checkpoints closed.
The Colonization and Wall Resistance Commission said there are now 898 Israeli military checkpoints and gates across the West Bank, including 164 installed since October 2023.
Occupied West Bank cemetery attacked by Israeli settlers
Israeli settlers have vandalised several graves in the Bab al-Rahma cemetery, which is adjacent to the al-Aqsa Mosque compound, according to Wafa news agency. The cemetery has seen many attacks by settlers in the past and been subjected to excavation work by the Israeli authorities.
