250 Palestinians forced to leave homes, lands in southern Hebron because of violence by settlers

By Awad al-Rujoub

RAMALLAH, Palestine (AA) - More than 250 Palestinians from the village of Zanuta, in southern Hebron, in the occupied West Bank, were forced Saturday to leave their homes and lands because of violence and attacks by Israeli settlers.

The Palestinian Foreign Ministry said assaults by settlers are committed under the protection of Israeli forces and support from the political leadership, especially hardline National Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir.

The ministry urged urgent intervention from the international community and the US "to stop the crimes committed by the (Israeli) occupation forces and settlers' militias against Palestinian civilians."

Zanuta village resident Adel Al-Tal told Anadolu that the villagers had a lot of patience with the assaults, but the violence had reached an "intolerable" level.

He noted that residents were compelled to move to nearby Ad-Dahiriya, leaving agricultural lands they inherited from their fathers.

The UN Humanitarian Affairs Office (OCHA) said in a statement earlier that Israeli settlers committed 800 attacks against Palestinians across the West Bank between January and September 2023.

Settlers’ attacks in the West Bank intensified after fighting erupted Oct. 7 between Palestinian groups and Israel in Gaza.

According to estimates, about 700,000 Israeli settlers live in 164 settlements and 116 outposts in the occupied West Bank.

All Jewish settlements in the occupied territories are considered illegal under international law.

*Writing by Ahmed Asmar