Abu Zaârur hill, south of Irtas, was today attacked by Israeli occupation forces â soldiers and militant Jewish settlers united â in an attempt to colonize yet another piece of Palestinian land.
***image2***Zionists settlers from Efrat settlement had organized a march onto the hilltop to take it over and settle on it. Around 1500 Occupation forces had been concentrated in the area, in order to prevent the Palestinian owners from the neighbouring village of Wadi Rahal to reach the location to protect their land and livelihoods.
Nonetheless, the villagers of Wadi Rahal made their way towards the hill. At 5pm, hundreds of Jewish militants reinforced the army in the area and attacked the villagers, under the protection of the Occupation forces.
After clashes between the villagers Occupation forces, the villagers were ordered to stay in their homes. However one villager, Khalil Odeh, was attacked in his own house.
The provocation today is part of the Zionist strategy to re-route of the Wallâs path. Until now, Abu Zaârur has been within the Bethlehem ghetto. Under new proposals, currently under discussion in the Israeli courts, Abu Za’rur will be isolated from Bethlehem.
Zionist ideologues promote the strategic importance of the area, and today’s high profile action is intended to strengthen argument for claiming another piece of Palestinian land for Zionist settlement expansion.