Various parts of the West Bank saw an arrest and raid campaign by Israeli forces on Friday, alongside settler attacks involving the burning of olive trees, assaults on fruit pickers, stone-throwing at vehicles and live fire into the air, as well as death and arson threats against a Palestinian resident.
Arrests and raids in Hebron and Nablus
In Hebron city, Israeli forces arrested 9 residents, including Ibrahimi Mosque director Mu'taz Abu Asnineh and mosque custodian official Hummam Abu Markhiya, who were arrested at their workplaces inside the mosque. Palestinian security sources said the forces raided several neighbourhoods, searched homes and ransacked their contents. The raids extended to Yatta, south of Hebron, where forces searched homes without making arrests.
In Nablus, forces arrested at dawn two former prisoners from Beita, south of the city, after raiding the town and searching homes. Forces also raided Burqa, north-west of Nablus, detaining several residents and subjecting them to field interrogations without arresting them. Bethlehem and Salfit also saw raids and searches targeting Palestinian homes.
Settler attacks on vehicles and property
In the Ramallah governorate, dozens of armed settlers entered the area between the village of Surda and al-Reehan neighbourhood, north of the city, on Friday morning. Security sources said they roamed the streets, pelted residents' vehicles with stones and fired live ammunition into the air to intimidate residents. They also damaged a memorial in the area.
In the al-Qata' area south of al-Mughayyir village, settlers released their livestock onto Palestinian-owned land under the protection of army forces, according to video clips circulated by activists. Israeli forces raided al-Mughayyir with military vehicles and arrested a Palestinian young man.
Olive pickers barred and trees burned
In Abwein, north of Ramallah, soldiers fired toxic gas grenades at olive pickers and prevented them from reaching their land in the Wadi al-Laban and Gharaba areas, for the second consecutive time. In Salfit, settlers set fire to olive trees in the Wadi al-Shaer area between the city and the town of al-Laban al-Sharqiya. The area is repeatedly subjected to attacks involving assaults on farmers, theft of olives and the smashing of vehicles.
In the town of al-Laban al-Sharqiya, south of Nablus, a video posted by an activist on Instagram on Thursday showed resident Muayad Hussein appealing for help. He said settlers had threatened to kill and burn him after placing Israeli flags outside his café and accusing him of removing them. Hussein added that settlers had previously burned down and robbed his shop 4 times, stressing that he remained determined to stay there.
In Masafer Yatta, south of Hebron, video clips documented settlers releasing their livestock in Khirbet Umm al-Khair, in an incident similar to what took place on the land of al-Mughayyir village. The developments came after the Wall and Settlement Resistance Commission recorded 2,051 attacks last September, saying the army carried out 1,404 of them and settlers 647.
The largest number was recorded in the governorates of Ramallah and al-Bireh, Nablus and Hebron. Settler attacks during the month resulted in the deaths of 3 Palestinians. According to the commission's data, Israeli authorities carried out 62 demolitions affecting 254 structures, including 89 inhabited homes and 133 agricultural structures. Hebron, Jerusalem and Jenin were the worst affected.
