The Israeli occupation authorities have prevented Palestinian farmers from Deir Istiya from collecting their summer crops in Wadi Qana.
Speaking with the Palestinian Information Center (PIC) Palestinian farmers spoke out against the crackdowns carried out by the occupation authorities in the area in an attempt to prevent them from reaping their carob hawthorn almond and fig harvests.
The crackdowns have been carried out under the pretext that Wadi Qana is a nature reserve. Farmers caught picking crops in the area are subjected to steep fines.
Researcher Khaled Maali said Israeli wall settlements and nature reserves in Salfit have swallowed nearly 70% of Palestinian land in favor of illegal settlement expansion.
He said such violations contravene the international humanitarian law and the Geneva Convention prohibiting any abuse of power by the occupation authorities against civilians.
