Palestinian villagers in West Bank’s village of Susya have said Israeli settlers are cutting off their water supply and burning olive trees, making life difficult for them. An elderly couple Mousa and Najah stated that settlers cut their electrical wires so that they don’t get light during the night.
West Bank has reported a massive rise in attacks by the Israeli settlers since the Gaza war broke out around two years ago. The Palestinian Authority said illegal settlers are trying to capture the land by forcing the residents of West Bank to move out of the area.
Most of the Israeli settlers are backed by Israeli regime and military and have a record of destroying the properties of the Palestinian farmers. The chief of a Palestinian village said that the lack of water is causing serious problems to the residents of the village.
West Bank: Settlers Stop the Palestinians From Feeding Their Sheep
Residents say settlers have also blocked them from grazing their sheep and destroyed water pipes and electricity lines. The Israeli army told local media that soldiers were sent to deal with recent trouble and removed settlers involved in the incident on July 28. No injuries were reported.
Olive trees are important to Palestinians. They have grown them for generations and see them as a symbol of their identity and connection to the land. Despite the violence, some villagers, like Najah Mughnem, say they will never leave. “Even if they destroy everything, we will stay,” she said.
Israeli Human Rights Group Say More Than 50 Attacks by Settlers in West Bank Since Gaza War
B’Tselem, an Israeli human rights group, has recorded around 54 attacks on Susya since October 7. That day, Hamas operatives from Gaza killed 1,200 people in Israel and took 251 hostages. In response, Israel’s attacks in Gaza have killed over 60,000 people, according to health officials there.
The residents of Susya lived in caves until 1986, when Israeli authorities asked them to vacate the caves and said it is an archaeological site. The villagers now live in simple buildings and tents and are completely surrounded by hills, and a Jewish settlement.
Also Read: Israeli Defense Minister Israel Katz Vows Crackdown On West Bank Settler Violence
