The Maan News Agency reported on Monday that at least ten residents were injured during clashes which erupted after the residents protested against the Separation Wall in Beit Sera village, west of the West Bank city of Ramallah.
The residents were also protesting against the uprooting of thousands of olive trees owned by the villagers.
Israeli troops fired rounds of live ammunition, concussion grenades and gas bombs at the protesters. Several residents were injured by rubber-coated bullets while others suffered injuries and bruises after the soldiers attacked and hit them with their batons.
Four of the injured residents were transferred to Sheikh Zayed Hospital in Ramallah, while the rest received first aid in a local clinic.
Mustafa Abu Hashish, member of Beit Sera village council, reported that soldiers uprooted on Sunday 4000 olive trees owned by the residents, in order to construct the Wall, adding that the uprooting of trees resumed on Monday morning.
Abu Hashish stated that confrontations broke out as village residents were barred from reaching their orchards earlier on Monday.
“The residents protested against the uprooting of their orchards”, he stated, “They protested against the military violations that targets their only source of livelihood”.
The annexed orchards will be used for settlement expansion in the area.
Since Israel occupied the West Bank in 1967, soldiers uprooted 55% of the orchards owned the residents of Beit Sera and constructed “agricultural settlements” there.
20% of the village’s orchards were annexed in 1967, additional 20% were annexed in 1973, 5% were annexed in 2003, and 10% were annexed in 2006.
