Settlers Uproot 100 Olive Trees and Demolish Agricultural Room in Bethlehem

BETHLEHEM: Settlers have reportedly cut down 100 olive trees and demolished an agricultural room southeast of Bethlehem, intensifying tensions in the area. The incident took place on Tuesday in the lands of 'Jourat al-Khail' in Wadi al-Hijjar, impacting local farmer Jamil Hussein Kawazbeh, whose property lies near the 'Asfar' settlement. According to Maan News Agency, Hassan Breijieh, a researcher specializing in wall and settlement affairs, detailed that the settlers not only destroyed the olive trees but also demolished an agricultural room belonging to Kawazbeh, seizing all its contents. This incident is part of a broader pattern of actions that have exacerbated the difficulties faced by farmers during the current olive harvest season. A report from the National Bureau for Defending Land and Resisting Settlements highlighted the increased suffering of farmers this year due to what it describes as the terrorism of the occupation and its settlers, which has led to greater crop losses. The Wall and Settleme nt Resistance Commission also reported that settlers uprooted 699 trees last month, including 694 olive trees, across several governorates including Hebron, Salfit, Bethlehem, Nablus, Ramallah and Al-Bireh, and Tulkarm. These actions have raised alarms about the ongoing impact on agricultural livelihoods and the region's stability.