Settlers illegally grab Palestinian lands in Hebron

Wednesday July 18, 2007 05:15 by Saed Shiokhy - IMEMC

The General Committee for Land Defense in the West Bank reported on Tuesday that settlers of the Atna’el illegal settlement, south of Hebron, attacked vast areas of orchards and farmlands belonging to Palestinian residents of Hebron.

Armed israeli settlers in Hebron

The Committee also stated that the settlers uprooted dozens of fruitful trees and forced the residents out of the area under gunpoint.

Abdul-Hadi Khantash, member of the Committees’ general-office, an expert in maps and settlements, said that the settlers grabbed by force more than 30 Dunams of orchards which belongs to the residents.

Khantash added that the settlers want to create an open area near their illegal settlement in order to expand it in order to install a new illegal outpost.

Settlements in the occupied West Bank and Jerusalem are built on Palestinian lands illegal seized and annexed by the Israeli authorities. The international law defines settlements as war crimes, yet Israel is ongoing with its settlement expansion and construction plans, in addition to constructing the illegal annexation Wall which is isolating the residents from each other and from their lands.

Translated by Saed bannoura - IMEMC

hebron | israeli settlement | news report saed at imemc dot org