Settlers burn lands west of Nablus; third attack in four days

July 15, 2009

Nablus – Ma’an – Israeli settlers set fire to 25 dunums of land from Burqa village west of Nablus on Wednesday, destroying tens of olive trees.

Ghassan Doghlus, who monitors violent settler activity in the northern West Bank, said a small group of four or six settlers descended onto the Ath-Thaer Mountain near the evacuated settlement of Homesh, on lands belonging to Muhammad Abdallah Abu Hilmeh, Odeh Al-Mhabber, Amid Nimer Aboud, Muhammad Abdel Aziz and Basel Baker Najeh Odeh.

The attack marks the third in four days, as settlers from the southern West Bank set fire to 150 dunums of land near Safa village Monday morning. Israeli soldiers prevented fire crews from accessing the area. On Sunday, Israeli residents of the illegal settlement of Bat Ayin set fire to olive, almond, and grape fields in the nearby town of Beit Ummar.

Also on Sunday, the Palestinian Ministry of Agriculture reported that a series of recent arson attacks by Israeli settlers has resulted in the destruction of 1,200 dunums of Palestinian land, primarily in villages near Nablus and Hebron.