A number of extremist Israeli settlers invaded, on Monday, Palestinian farmlands, west of the central West Bank city of Salfit, and bulldozed agricultural lands to expand settlements’ industrial zones in the area.Local sources said the settlers came from Ariel and Barkan industrial settlements, built on Palestinian lands west of Salfit, and bulldozed farmlands belonging to villagers of Hares, Kifl Hares, Deir Estia and Broqeen.
Palestinian researcher Khaled Ma’ali said the illegal expansion of the industrial zones has been ongoing for a long while, adding that many of these violations are carried out slowly and away from media attention.
Ma’ali said the Industrial Zones in Salfit “do not only lead to theft of Palestinian lands, or the illegal annexation of grazing areas, but are also polluting the air, in addition to dangerous chemicals and waste poured onto Palestinian lands, meadows and valleys.”
He called on international and local human rights groups and health organizations to visit the area, to witness the ongoing Israeli violations, and the increasing suffering of the Palestinians.
