Israeli forces continued their assault on Palestinian communities throughout the West Bank during the day and evening on Sunday, following the pre-dawn invasions.
In the central West Bank:
Israeli occupation forces stormed the town of Sinjil, north of Ramallah, on Sunday evening, coinciding with the paramilitary colonizers’ commencement of establishing a new illegal colonial outpost in the “Aghraba” area, west of the town.
Local sources confirmed that paramilitary colonists, under the protection of the Israeli occupation army, began preliminary work and bulldozing at the site, in preparation for installing the initial facilities for the new outpost. They added that the establishment of this outpost came after field preparations that began about two months ago, as part of a systematic colonial expansion policy aimed at tightening control over Palestinian citizens’ lands and imposing a siege on the town from all sides.
Journalist Mohamed Ghafri, who lives in Sinjil, reported that colonists began weeks ago to build a new dirt road, 2 to 3 kilometers long, linking the Maale Levona colony to the Agraba area. He pointed out that the colonizers aim to impose a siege on the town and tighten control over the surrounding lands, which hinders the movement of Palestinian residents and limits their urban expansion.
Ghafri explained that the paramilitary colonists are taking advantage of the world’s preoccupation with the Gaza war and the current regional circumstances to implement a plan that had previously failed in 2020 thanks to the steadfastness of the people.
He added, “The colonists began erecting iron barricades, tents, and barracks in the targeted area, accompanied by occupation bulldozers, which carried out large-scale bulldozing operations since the morning, to stabilize the new outpost”.
Ghafri explained that the Israeli occupation authorities claimed that what is happening is an expansion of the structural plan of the Maale Levona colony, but in fact it is a separate colonial outpost, noting that all these actions are being carried out under direct and intensive protection from the occupation army.
He added that the townspeople have been living in a state of anxiety and tension since the bulldozing operations began, noting that many agricultural lands and properties are vulnerable to being seized from the Israeli occupation for the benefit of the colonists, with the accompanying risks of attacks on Palestinian citizens while they are on their lands.
Sinjil is frequently subjected to attacks by colonists, as over the past years it has recorded the establishment of a series of colonial outposts on the town’s lands, in addition to attempts to seize agricultural lands and attacks on residents’ property.
Israeli occupation forces prevented Palestinian Christians from leaving the village of Taybeh, northeast of Ramallah in the occupied West Bank, after setting up a checkpoint and blocking its main entrance, as worshippers attempted to mark Palm Sunday with prayers in Bethlehem and other cities (featured image above).
In the northern West Bank:
On Sunday evening, the Israeli occupation forces beat a young man in the city of Qalqilya.
Local sources reported that the occupation forces assaulted the young man while he was near the annexation and expansion wall in the northern area of the city, known as “Al-Marj”, while his identity is not known yet.
The Israeli occupation forces stormed the eastern part of the city and deployed around the area known as “Al-Hasamis.”
Israeli paramilitary colonial settlers stormed the town of Bita, south of Nablus, on Sunday evening.
Local sources reported that colonists, protected by the occupation army, stormed the “Al-Dhahra” area on the outskirts of the town of Beita, and the people confronted them, which led to the outbreak of confrontations in the area.
Jerusalem:
On Sunday evening, the Israeli occupation authorities forced Jerusalemite citizen Attia Abu Teir to demolish part of his house in the village of Umm Tuba, southeast of Jerusalem, under the pretext of building without a permit.
The Jerusalem Governorate reported that the area of the demolished part is about 30 square meters, noting that the house has been standing since 2014 and is inhabited by five people, which increases the family’s suffering as a result of the decision.
This demolition comes within the framework of the Israeli occupation’s ongoing policies to impose restrictions on Palestinian construction in and around occupied Jerusalem, which exacerbates the housing crisis and limits residents’ ability to maintain and expand their homes.
According to the Jerusalem Governorate, the Israeli occupation authorities carried out 49 demolition and bulldozing operations in the governorate during the month of February, including 15 forced self-demolitions, 27 demolitions by occupation vehicles, and 7 land bulldozing operations. They also issued 143 notifications, including 125 demolition orders, 16 evacuation orders, and two seizure orders, concentrated in Anata, Silwan, Al-Eizariya, and Abu Dis.
As Israeli occupation forces prevent Palestinians from entering Al Aqsa Mosque for the 30th consecutive day, Israeli settlers attempted to bring what they call a “Passover sacrifice” into the Al-Aqsa Mosque.
Southern West Bank:
In the southern West Bank on Sunday, the Israeli occupation forces stormed the villages of Al-Markaz and Al-Majaz in the town of Yatta, south of Hebron, and conducted a field investigation with a number of citizens.
Anti-settlement activist Osama Makhamra told Wafa that the Israeli occupation forces stormed the two villages in Masafer Yatta, deployed infantry teams in their streets and alleys, raided a number of homes, and detained a number of citizens from the Houshiya, Makhamra, and Abu Aram families, before conducting a field investigation with a number of young men.
He added that the occupation forces continue their escalation in towns, villages, ruins and camps in the Hebron Governorate, in addition to the attacks by heavily armed colonists, since the start of the aggression on October 7, 2023 on the Gaza Strip, as these violations include raids and abduction campaigns, and vandalism and destruction of citizens’ property in large areas.
On Sunday evening, the Israeli occupation forces abducted a citizen and his two sons after colonists released their livestock onto his land in Musafir Yatta, south of Hebron.
Israeli forces abducted Palestinian citizen Mohammed Musa Makhamra and his two sons, Luay and Laith, after severely beating them and firing sound bombs at their homes in the Aghziweh area of Masafer Yatta, after colonists destroyed the fence of his land and released their livestock into his fruit tree orchard around his home.
Israeli occupation forces also stormed the town of Al-Khader, south of Bethlehem, on Sunday evening.
Local sources reported to Wafa news that the Israeli occupation forces stormed Al-Khader and took up positions in the areas of Al-Bawaba, Al-Yamamah, and Dawar Al-Balou’, and set up a military checkpoint, without any reports of raids on homes or abductions.
Released Palestinian detainee Omar Amer, from the town of Kfar Malek in the occupied West Bank, reunites with his father after being detained for 24 months in Israeli prisons.
