Traffic Caused by the Blockade. Photo by [Middle East Eye]
Israel Defense Force has blocked all entrances into Nablus, a Palestinian city in the West Bank. For over two weeks, the IDF has restricted the movement of Palestinians wanting to enter or leave the city.
The siege began as a response to the attacks and killing of an Israeli soldier by, as reported by Al-Jazeera, the armed group known as the Lion’s Den. The siege intended to curb the continuation of armed resistance in and around the Nablus area.
The IDF is conducting nightly raids in search of the perpetrators, resulting in clashes and killings of Palestinians. Over 100 Palestinians have been killed in the occupied West Bank since the start of the year.
The siege and attacks are in preparation for the upcoming Israeli elections, according to journalist Khalid Amayree.
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Israeli Settler Attacks
Violence perpetrated by Israeli settlers against Palestinians has also increased in the West Bank. Earlier in October, settlers stormed and vandalised Huwwara Secondary Boys School. The settlers stormed in and began to attack the staff and the students.
This attack is in conjunction with a series of attacks by the Israeli settlers in the Nablus area. The Israeli settlers or terrorists, as Amayree names them, coordinate their attacks with the IDF.
“They come to attack Palestinians and assault them,” he said, “Very often they beat them very seriously … And the settlers get away with impunity … The Israeli government and settlers are united, completely, to harm the Palestinian population.”
There is no point in reporting these attacks or relying on the judicial system to address the issue since the Israeli system in the West Bank has been taken over by settlers and therefore protects them.
Attacking Farmers While Harvesting
Palestinians go to their olive farms this time of the year for the annual harvest season. As specified by Amayree, settlers often harass these farmers in the northern West Bank area.
They do this by physically assaulting them, damaging the harvest by spraying harmful chemicals on the trees and even firing live ammunition resulting in the death of farmers.
The harvest season is a critical time for the Palestinian economy. As such, there is an influx of foreign volunteers to assist the farmers in harvesting their crops.
However, there have been efforts by the Israeli government to deter these volunteers by drafting laws and restrictions to discourage them from visiting the West Bank.
“Israel is actually combatting and fighting foreign volunteers on two fronts. The first front is to allow settlers and to encourage settlers to attack and brutalise foreign volunteers by using all means at their disposal … The other front is that they have passed new draconian laws aimed at preventing and criminalising the arrival of foreign volunteers in the West Bank.”
