Two Palestinian citizens were wounded on Saturday when Israeli settlers escorted by armed forces attacked Palestinian farmers in Masafer Yatta in the West Bank district of al-Khalil.
Local sources said that hordes of settlers accompanied by an army force stormed al-Khrouba and Maghayer al-Obeid areas in Masafer Yatta and attacked Palestinian farmers and shepherds.
The settlers tried to force the Palestinian farmers and shepherds out of the attacked areas with the help of Israeli soldiers stole a donkey and assaulted two Palestinian citizens.
One of the injured is activist Basel al-Adra a member of Hemaya and Somoud Committee who was attacked while documenting the settler violations.
Eyewitnesses said that al-Adra was violently beaten by the Israeli settlers who also seized his camera.
A Palestinian citizen identified as Shehada Salama suffered injuries in the same attack.
Israeli soldiers later expelled by force all Palestinian farmers in al-Khrouba area and announced it a “closed military zone”.
Al-Khrouba and Maghayer al-Obeid are among 19 Palestinian hamlets in Masafer Yatta which are classified as “Area C” (administered by Israel) according to the Olso Accords.
Palestinian communities in Masafer Yatta suffer from regular settler attacks on their property that are rarely prosecuted and sometimes backed by Israeli authorities.
