Olive Harvest near Nablus in the occupied West Bank.
Palestinian farmers on Sunday accused Israeli settlers of destroying their olive groves near Nablus in the occupied West Bank.
“Settlers from the Havad Gilad settlement chopped down around 50 olive trees,” Mohamed Osaida, a farmer, told Anadolu Agency.
“They looted my land; I have nothing left,” he said, going on to accuse settlers of attempting to seize control of his farmland in the area.
“They are stealing our fruits and cutting down our trees,” he said.
According to Palestinian figures, more than 700,000 Jewish settlers now live in 196 settlements (built with the Israeli government’s approval) and more than 200 settler outposts (built without its approval) across the occupied West Bank.
Palestinian residents complain of repeated attacks by settlers, who usually enjoy the protection of Israeli military personnel.
Palestinian officials accuse the Israeli army and police of turning a blind eye to the settler assaults.
Hamas chief Ismail Haniyeh said Saturday anti-occupation protests along border of the Gaza Strip will not stop until Israel’s 12-year blockade is lifted.“The Return Marches will not accept partial solutions,” Haniyeh said in statements following the funeral prayer for a Palestinian youth killed by Israeli army fire near Gaza border on Friday.“The rallies will accept nothing but a complete lifting of the blockade on the Gaza Strip,” he said.At least seven Palestinians were martyred and scores injured by Israeli army fire on Friday during protests against the crippling siege imposed by Israel on Gaza since 2007.Hamas eyes truce with Israel in return for end of siegeIsrael releases former Hamas MPThe death toll brought to more than 200 Palestinians martyred and thousands more injured by the Israeli army since the protests began in late March.“Gaza is fighting to undermine the so-called 'deal of the century'," he said, referring to a backchannel U.S. plan to reach a peace settlement between the Palestinians and Israel.Protesters demand the “right of return” to their homes and villages in historical Palestine from which they were driven in 1948 to make way for the new state of Israel.They also demand an end to Israel’s 12-year blockade of the Gaza Strip, which has gutted the coastal enclave’s economy and deprived its roughly two million inhabitants of many basic commodities.More trucks laden with Qatari fuel enter blockaded GazaPalestinian man dies in Israeli jailHamas eyes truce with Israel in return for end of siege198 martyred by Israel since Gaza protests began
Protests won’t stop until Gaza siege lifted: Haniyeh
Israeli forces on Saturday detained the parents of a suspected Palestinian shooter, who allegedly killed two Israeli settlers in the occupied West Bank last week, according to local residents.An Israeli military force raided Shawbka neighborhood in the city of Tulkarem and arrested Waleed Naalwa and Wafaa Mahdawi from their home, the residents said.The uncle of the suspected shooter was also arrested from his home in the same area, according to the same source.Canada pledges $62M aid for PalestiniansThere was no comment from the Israeli military on the arrests.On Sunday, two Israelis were killed and another was injured in a shooting attack in an industrial area near the settlement of Barkan in the central West Bank. Israeli authorities accuse Ashraf Naalwa of carrying out the attack and have launched a massive manhunt to arrest him.UN peace envoy ‘no longer acceptable’ to PLOGaza Health Ministry warns of Israel's 'lethal' attacks
Israel arrests parents of suspected Palestinian shooter
Israel's way of wounding demonstrators in Gaza City is a reflection of their intention to commit a new massacre, the Palestinian Health Ministry said early Saturday.Speaking to Anadolu Agency, the ministry’s spokesman, Ashraf al-Qidra, said Israel was carrying out “lethal” attacks on Palestinian protestors when looking at the injuries they received.Emphasizing that the injuries were deadly and complicated, Qidra added that Israeli occupying forces had the intention to commit a new massacre.He also stressed that there was no international monitoring of the situation and called for determined and effective moves in order to stop the continuous violations against the Palestinian people.Meanwhile, Qatar's Foreign Ministry also condemned the attacks targeting peaceful protests.“Occupying Israeli forces’ dangerous military escalation is a clear violation of international agreements and laws,” it said in a written statement.198 martyred by Israel since Gaza protests beganIsrael releases former Hamas MPAccording to the Gaza Health Ministry, seven Palestinian protesters were martyred Friday by Israeli army gunfire near the Gaza-Israel buffer zone, while another 154 Palestinians were injured.Protesters demand the “right of return” to their homes and villages in historical Palestine from which they were driven in 1948 to make way for the new state of Israel.They also demand an end to Israel’s 12-year blockade of the Gaza Strip, which has gutted the coastal enclave’s economy and deprived its roughly two million inhabitants of many basic commodities. According to the Health Ministry, more than 200 Palestinians have been martyred and thousands more injured since the rallies began on March 30.More trucks laden with Qatari fuel enter blockaded GazaPalestinian man dies in Israeli jailHamas eyes truce with Israel in return for end of siege
Gaza Health Ministry warns of Israel's 'lethal' attacks