Israeli forces today stopped work on agricultural projects and seized trucks and heavy machinery in the al-Awsaj Agricultural Cooperative Village to the north of Jericho city, according to a local official.
Director-General of al-Awsaj agricultural project, Mwafaq Haseh, informed WAFA that Israeli military soldiers stormed lands belonging to the Jericho Cooperative Association in area A of the West Bank, under full Palestinian political and adminstrative control, and forced project workers to stop working before seizing a number of heavy machinery and three trucks.
This is the third such Israeli measure carried out in a period of one month against the village.
The official indicated the Israeli occupation seeks to seize the heavy machinery there under the pretext of working too close to areas classified as area C of the West Bank, which is under full Israeli military and civil control.
He stressed that settlers, under the protection and support of the Israeli occupation government and army, are attempting to take over the Palestinian lands north of Jericho, despite the fact that the majority of these lands are owned by the Palestinian Waqf (endowment).
In the meantime, Israeli forces tore down a house and two animal barns belonging to Palestinian residents in al-Fasayel village to the north of Jerico city, according to the supervisor of the Al-Baydar Organization for the Defense of Bedouin Rights, Hassan Mleihat.
He told WAFA that forces stormed the said village and demolished a house made of cement, rendering a Palestinian resident and his family without shelter.
Forces further demolished two animal bars owned by another local resident in al-Fasayel village.
He noted that Bedouins in the Jordan Valley are subjected to a vicious attack by the Israeli occupation, including the demolition of homes and structures, forced expulsion, and intimidation of Palestinian residents and herders.
Source: Palestine News and Information Agency