The Israeli Authorities informed the Palestinian Authority that it intends to close the agricultural gates of the Separation Wall in Qalqilia until further notice, which endangers the upcoming olive picking season.
The Israeli army said that this decision was made after the settlers increased their attacks against the residents and their farmlands, especially after they burnt a hothouse in Nabi Elias area, east of Qalqilia.
Settlers attacked eight Palestinian villages in the northern West Bank on Monday before dawn while marching against the pullout and attempting to infiltrate Sa-Nur and Homesh settlements, which are slated for evacuation. ÂÂ
The settlers attacked dozens of residents and homes in the villages and intended to vandalize the resident’s properties.
Also, on Monday evening settlers hurled stones at two Palestinian homes close to Eli settlement, east of the Ariel settlement block. Two Palestinian residents were mildly injured. The settlers also burnt a hothouse in Nabi Elias village, east of Qalqilia.
The attacks were carried out against the villages of Qousen, Madama, Borqa, Bzaria, Sabastia, Jeet, Fendaqumiyah and Jensafout.
Earlier on Tuesday, Israeli soldiers closed dozens of shops and stores in Al-Fondoq village, east of Qalqilia on the main Nablus-Qalqilia road, in order to enable the settlers to pass through the main road.
The soldiers occupied rooftops of a number of homes using them as monitoring towers to “protect†the marching settlers.
Soldiers also closed the northern and southern checkpoints of Qalqilia and installed military tents in farmlands in the area in order to deploy more troops in the area in an attempt to bar the settlers from resuming their attacks against the Palestinian villages.
At least three buses filled with settlers were stopped by the army and barred from entering West Bank areas. Some of the settlers in these buses did not hide their intentions to attack Palestinian villages in the northern the West Bank.
While the settlers intensify their attacks against the residents and their villages, Palestinian residents remain surrounded and barred from leaving their villages in order to reach their educational facilities, workplaces, or even hospitals and medical centers.
