JERUSALEM, Wednesday, June 24, 2020 (WAFA) – Israeli settlers today seized a large tract of Palestinian land in the occupied East Jerusalem neighborhood of al-Issawiya, according to local  sources.

The sources confirmed that settlers fenced off dozens of dunums of land planted with olive trees, which belong to the Palestinian residents of al-Tur and Issawiya.

For the residents of Issawiyeh, a Palestinian village of some 20,000, and other parts of occupied East Jerusalem, military raids, land grab and demolitions are a daily reality.

The village is plagued by poor infrastructure, residents are constantly harassed by the Israeli Border Police and anyone, including children, run the risk of arbitrary arrest.

Israeli police and municipality staff frequently hand out fine notices for various violations, such as improperly maintained vehicles, severely disrupting Palestinian residents’ lives.

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

Settlers‘ violence includes property and mosque arsons, stone-throwing, uprooting of crops and olive trees, attacks on vulnerable homes, among others.

There are almost 834,000 Israeli settlers living in colonial settlements in the West Bank and East Jerusalem.

K.F.