On Monday, Israeli soldiers invaded and bulldozed large areas of Palestinian lands, including many trees and retaining walls, in Masafer Bani Naim, east of Hebron, in the occupied West Bank’s southern part.

Rateb Jabour, the coordinator of the National committees against the Annexation wall and colonies in southern Hebron, said the army brought many vehicles, including armored bulldozers, and started bulldozing the lands and demolishing the retaining walls.

The uprooted privately-owned lands contained evergreens and fruitful trees planted by Palestinians from the local Manasra and Tarayra families.

The lands, approximately 10 Dunams, are near the illegal Bnei Hever colony, built on stolen Palestinian lands.

Israel’s colonies in the occupied Palestinian territories, including in and around the occupied capital, Jerusalem, are illegal under International Law, the Fourth Geneva Convention, in addition to various United Nations and Security Council resolutions.

UN Security Council and UN General Assembly resolutions have condemned Israeli policies in all their forms in the occupied Palestinian territories, whether it be the seizure of Palestinian land for various military purposes, the construction of illegal Israeli colonies, or the creation of bypass roads.

Article 49 of the Fourth Geneva Convention states that the occupying power [Israel] is forbidden from transferring any part of its civilian population onto the land on which it occupies [Palestine].