A group of illegal Israeli colonizers invaded, Thursday, Palestinian olive orchards in Khirbet Beit Iskariya village, southwest of Bethlehem, in the occupied West Bank, and cut 200 trees.
Hasan Breijiyya, the coordinator of the Popular Committee against the Annexation Wall and Colonies in Bethlehem, said the Israeli assailants cut at least 200 olive trees, owned by Kamil Khalil Sa’ad and ‘Amer Hussein Odah.
He stated that the attack is second of its kind in less than two weeks and added that the village is subject to frequent violations.
The village, inhabited by approximately 650 Palestinians, started losing its land to illegal Israel’s colonies since Israel the occupied West Bank in 1967, and started establishing many colonies, including Kfar Etzion, Alon Shvut, Migdal Oz, Neve Daniel, Beit Ayin, Rosh Tzurim, Beitar Illit, Efrat and Elazar.
Beit Iskariya village contains five residential communities; Khirbit Iskariya, Khallet al-Ballout, Wadi Shakhit, Khallet Afffana and Shafe’ey area.
Its size used to be 9000 Dunams and lost 2000 for the illegal construction and expansion of Israel’s colonies, and is currently surrounded by colonies in addition to being subject to constant violations amidst attempts to remove its population.
The villagers live in old small brick homes, as Israel does not permit the families to build or develop their communities, in addition to demolishing seven homes since 2007.
