(MENAFN- Palestine News Network )
Ramallah /PNN/
According to a local official, Israeli settlers began on Sunday land leveling and expansion activities in the village of Um Safa, north of Ramallah in the occupied West Bank. Marwan Sabah, the head of Um Safa village council, reported that "settler bulldozers began land leveling in Al Shami Mountain and Ras Mountain areas of Um Safa at dawn on Sunday."
He noted that“these land leveling and confiscation efforts began around two weeks ago, affecting 500 dunums of village land.”
The local official mentioned that settlers have "erected tents and blocked access to the area" in preparation for a new settlement outpost.
He added that "the Israeli army is providing round-the-clock protection for the settlers."
According to the Wall and Settlement Resistance Authority, settler violence following October 7, 2023, has led to the deaths of 19 Palestinians, over 785 injuries, and the displacement of 26 Bedouin communities. Israeli estimates suggest that more than 720,000 settlers reside in West Bank settlements, including East Jerusalem.
Meanwhile, as the Israeli army intensifies its operations in Gaza, settlers have ramped up their attacks in the West Bank, resulting in 716 Palestinian deaths, including 179 children, women, and the elderly, and around 5,750 injuries, along with over 10,800 arrests, according to official Palestinian sources.
In the aftermath of its destructive war on Gaza, supported by the U.S., more than 137,000 Palestinians have been killed or injured, predominantly children and women, with over 10,000 reported missing. This has led to widespread devastation and a critical famine.
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