On Saturday 12 February 2022, 30 armed Israeli settlers from the colony (settlement) of so-called 'Bat Ayin', located in the southern West Bank between the cities of Jerusalem and Hebron, attacked a Palestinian field in the village of Surif, north of the Hebron area. The field, of around 20 dunums (1 dunum = 1000 m2), is owned by the Ghunimat and Hmeidat families. Settlers destroyed and uprooted 50 olive trees that had been planted 5 to 20 years ago, and part of the trees were sponsored through the Olive Tree Campaign – Keep Hope Alive.
When farmers tried to defend their lands, they were attacked and stoned by settlers, and a mobile phone was stolen from one of the farmers. This attack was not a single attack it is part of an ongoing strategy by the settlers to terrorize the land owners and prevent them from using and accessing their lands.
Earlier, on Saturday, February 5, 2022, and in the same area, settlers also destroyed and uprooted 100 olive trees owned by farmer Ibrahim Ghunimat, which were also sponsored through Olive Tree Campaign in the year 2020. Since the beginning of February, settlers have destroyed around 480 trees in different parts of the West Bank.
We call for the solidarity and actions of our friends and partners to support the resilience of Palestinian farmers, by sharing the story in your social circle, raising your voice with your political representative, sending messages to your Ministry of Foreign Affair and MPs, and donating / fundraising for the Olive Tree Campaign to save Palestinian land and Keep Hope Alive for the Palestinian farmers.