Palestinians: Settlers cut down 200 trees
Villagers say army, police fail to curb repeated settler harassment, vandalism. Yesha council claims in response cutting was 'provocation by left-wing'
Settlers have cut down 200 olive trees in a grove belonging to Palestinians from the village of Salem, Palestinian sources charge.
One of the village's residents called other villagers to the grove Sunday morning after spotting a group of settlers from a nearby illegal outpost. The Palestinians then summoned the police.
The Yesha council claimed in response that the tree cutting was "apparently a provocation by the extreme left-wing."
"This was the work of extremist left-wing activists who wish to tarnish the names of their fellow Jews, while partnering up with terrorists," the response read.
The residents claimed that this was not the first time settlers cut down trees in the village.
"Last month they burned about 50 acres and destroyed more than 300 trees. Before that, they cut down hundreds of trees, and today an entire grove was ruined and 200 trees were cut down," Bassam Shatiya told Ynet after losing dozens of trees in addition to 100 trees burned last time.
"Last month, the Israeli coordination officer who was dispatched to the area promised us that this was the last time he allowed settlers to do such a thing, to cut down and burn trees and to harm the villagers' livelihood," he said.
"But now it has happened once again and we don’t know what we should do," he added.
'Police, army not doing anything'
Shatiya said he does not believe the Israeli police and army will do anything about it.
"It has happened 10 times already in the past two years, and they haven’t done anything," he said.
"Last time, immediately after last month's fire, we found an identity card at the scene and a telephone number of one of the settlers who took part in the act. We gave them to the coordination officer and were sure that finally something would be done and settlers would stop damaging, destroying, burning and undermining the village's livelihood," he added.
"However, nothing has happened, and now we have to deal with another terrible thing," he charged.
"Only someone who witnesses it with his own eyes can understand the magnitude of the disaster which occurs time after time without anyone bothering to prosecute these criminals," Shatiya said.
He added that the residents of the outpost, which was built on the village's territory, use threats to prevent the residents from approaching their own groves.
"A group of settlers, headed by a particularly extreme and violent settler, against whom we have already filed a number of complaints, is preventing the farmers from approaching an area of nearly 2,500 acres, almost all of it consisting of olive groves," he said.
"These are 2,500 acres which we cannot work or harvest, and in order to enter our land we have to call the army every time. Only under the protection of its vehicles can we work the land. This situation cannot persist," he added.
In the past year, residents of Salem and other villages near the settlements of Itamar and Elon Moreh have filed a number of complaints against settlers for harassing Palestinian farmers and shepherds.
The police confirmed that trees have been cut down and said that they have launched an investigation into the affair.
Meanwhile, Elon Moreh Spokesman Benny Katzover said: “We know nothing about the incident. We checked with all official sources in the community and no one is familiar with the incident. This is not the first or second time residents in Salem and villages in the area come up with imaginary accusations against us.”
Efrat Weiss contributed to the report
