NABLUS, Friday, July 24, 2020 (WAFA) – Israeli settlers today stormed al-Badhan village, a picturesque springtime holiday destination, northeast of Nablus city, said a municipal source.

Mayor of al-Badhan Emad Salahat said that some 30 Israeli settlers barged their way into Wadi al-Badhan, a famous springtime holiday destination, where they remained for two hours and left.

The settlers came from the nearby colonial settlement of Elon Moreh, located atop the mountain overlooking al-Badhan village.

Salahat warned of settler attacks against the villagers, whom were forced at gun point to allow settler access to the natural parks.

Wadi al-Badhan is considered one of the most beautiful natural landscapes in Palestine given its abundance of water springs, greenery, cool air and high biodiversity.

According to the Applied Research Institute of Jerusalem (ARIJ), settlers from this colonial settlement frequently attack the village, including illegally dumping their wastewater and discharging their sewage water onto the village land, this polluting the villagers’ crops and trees.

The settlement has an industrial area which contains an aluminum factory, a food canning factory and a cloth dying factory all of which have high volumes of pollutant waste water which is hazardous to the natural environment.

The village of al-Badhan is named after the valley and has a population of about 4,000. Tourists and travellers often visit the village’s numerous archaeological sites, including 12 ancient watermills.

K.F.