HEBRON, November 15, 2024 (WAFA) – A group of Israeli colonists desecrated a mosque and harassed Palestinian residents in the southern West Bank today, escalating tensions in the area amid a surge in colonist violence in recent weeks.

According to local sources, a large group of colonists stormed the Marah al-Baqar area in the town of Dura, near Hebron, where they spread out across the hillsides. The colonists climbed the minaret of a mosque in the region, where they shouted slogans in Hebrew, danced, and sang provocatively.  

In a separate incident, another group of colonists infiltrated the Al-Alqa area, situated between the towns of Dura and Al-Dhahiriya. This region, which is the only route connecting Al-Dhahiriya to Dura and the city of Hebron, has been severely affected by the ongoing closure of several Palestinian roads by Israeli occupation forces.

The colonists gathered in the area, disrupting the lives of local residents and blocking access to crucial roads.

These attacks come amid an uptick in colonist violence in the occupied West Bank, particularly during the olive harvest season. Colonists, often under the protection of the Israeli military, have increased their assaults on Palestinian farmers and their property, including attacks on olive groves, livestock, and homes.

M.N