HEBRON, Thursday, December 05, 2019 (WAFA) – Israeli settlers today attacked Palestinian farmers in Umm al-Arayes village, located to the east of Yatta in the southern West Bank district of Hebron.

Coordinator of the Anti-Wall and Settlement Committees Rateb Jabour said that a group of settlers from the Mizpe Yaer settlement beat up and prevented Palestinian farmers from ploughing up their fields to plant winter crops.

The assaulted farmers were identified as members of the Jabarin family.

Settlers and Israeli forces routinely harass Palestinian shepherds grazing their flock in the area in order to drive them out of their land and take it over for the construction of illegal colonial settlements.

Masafer Yatta is a collection of almost 19 hamlets which rely heavily on animal husbandry as the main source of livelihood.

Located in Area C of the West Bank, under full Israeli administrative and military control, the area has been subjected to repeated Israeli violations by settlers and soldiers targeting their main source of living - livestock.

It has been designated as a closed Israeli military zone for training since 1980s and accordingly referred to as Firing Zone 918.

Israeli violations against the area include demolition of animal barns, homes and residential structures. Issuance of construction permits by Israel to local Palestinians in the area is non-existent.

K.F.