In the latter town, about 30 residents and activists, accompanied by about 10 journalists, gathered for the olive harvest, Reuters reported. The group was attacked by about 50 masked settlers who beat the crowd with sticks, reported Israeli activist Jonathan Pollak, who was present at the scene.
The attackers attacked, among others: Reuters photojournalist Raneen Sawafta and another employee of the agency, Grant Bowden. The journalist was “beaten without mercy and pelted with stones as she lay on the ground, and the attackers attacked anyone who tried to help her,” Pollak said. Reuters employees were taken to a hospital in Nablus.
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How many people were injured in the attacks?
Where did attacks on Palestinians take place?
What were the consequences of the settler attacks in October?
What actions did the Israeli army take after the attacks?
The Israeli army said it sent troops to the site “following reports of a confrontation.” However, witnesses claim that there were no soldiers in Bejta, Reuters added. The agency called on Israeli authorities to investigate the incident and hold those responsible accountable.
Attack during olive harvest
This is another attack by Jewish settlers on Palestinians during the olive harvest, which has been ongoing since October. Their cultivation is an important element of Palestinian identity and an important part of agriculture in the occupied territories.
In October, 264 settler attacks were reported in the West Bank, an average of more than eight per day, in which more than 140 Palestinians were injured, said the UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA). The attacks also resulted in material losses, including the destruction of over 4,200. olive trees. OCHA stressed that this is the highest monthly number of settler attacks recorded since records began in 2006.
There is a growing movement in the West Bank known as “hill youth” – extremist young Jews who, often driven by religious motives, engage in the construction of settlements that are illegal even under Israeli law. The increase in violence against Palestinians by this group worries the Israeli security services, wrote the Israeli press.
Human rights organizations and the media also point out that attacks often occur due to the passivity of Israeli officers and soldiers. Palestinians have long raised alarms that the army does not adequately protect them from settlers.
