An extremist settlers group of the Sosia settlement, near Yatta village, south of the West Bank city of Hebron, uprooted on Friday dozens of olive trees after attacking the residents while working in their orchards.
Several farmers from Yatta village reported that settlers of Sosia illegal settlement outpost repeatedly attacked them and their orchards over the last month and uprooted at least 400 olive trees which were recently planted there.
Nasr Al Nawaj’a, an owner of one of the attacked orchards, reported that soldiers were always present in the area when the settlers carried their attacks, but did not conduct any effort to stop them.
Al Nawaj’a stated that the settlers are attempting to annex these orchards in orders to expand their settlement outpost.
The uprooted trees were recently planted by dozens of international and Israeli volunteers who came to the area to replant the orchards with the residents.
Over the last three months, settlers of Sosia and Ma’oun settlement outposts uprooted at least 1000 olive trees in an effort to expand their outposts.
Residents of the Palestinian villages depend on agriculture, mainly olive trees, as the main source of livelihood.
