BETHLEHEM, Wednesday, March 25, 2020 (WAFA) – Israeli settlers Wednesday damaged 50 olive trees and grapevines in al-Khader town, south of Bethlehem city.

Hisham Mohammad Sbeih, the landowner, told WAFA that he entered his grove, located in proximity to the Gush Etzion colonial settlement bloc, today, but he was completely shocked to find out that settlers had damaged 40 grapevines and 10 olive trees.

He pointed out that this was not the first time that settlers wreaked havoc in his land, and that settlers were exploiting the lockdown enforced on Bethlehem district over coronavirus spread to expedite the destruction of Palestinian groves.

Israeli settler violence against Palestinians and their property is commonplace in the West Bank and is rarely prosecuted by Israeli authorities.

It includes arsons of property and mosques, stone-throwing, uprooting of crops and olive trees, attacks on vulnerable homes, among others.

Between 500,000 and 600,000 Israelis live in Jewish-only settlements across occupied East Jerusalem and the West Bank in violation of international law.

K.F.