BETHLEHEM, May 15, 2012 (WAFA) – A group of Israel settlers sabotaged late Monday agricultural land and crops in Palestinian private land in Wadi Fukin, a village southwest of Bethlehem, local farmers said Tuesday.

They said around 20 settlers from the nearby Beitar Illit raided the land around midnight under the protection of the Israeli army. Villagers and farmers faced the settlers, who fled the scene shortly after.

Head of Wadi Fukin village council, Ahmad Sukkar, said the settlers’ attack is part of a grander Israeli scheme aiming to forcibly take over the village land, of which the Israeli occupation already took over 8.000 dunums.

R.Q./M.S.