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Settlers disrupt olive harvest near Nablus
By Efrat Weiss, Ali Waked
Y-Net/Ma’an
October 27, 2009
http://www.maannews.net/eng/ViewDetails.aspx?ID=235283
http://www.ynetnews.com/articles/0,7340,L-3796033,00.html

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Original Ma’an title: Witnesses: Settlers assault farmers near Nablus


Nablus – Ma’an – At least two Palestinians were injured on Tuesday when dozens of Israeli settlers attacked farmers who were harvesting olives in the West Bank village of Qaryout, south of the city of Nablus.

According to sources in the village, the incident began when dozens of Israeli settlers assaulted farmers who were working near the Israeli settlement of Shavout Rachel.

After this initial attack, both soldiers and settlers stormed the village, clashing with Palestinian residents who threw stones back. Soldiers fired bullets and tear gas, residents said.

Medics said that two Palestinians were moderately injured. One was identified as 31-year-old Mu’taz Ghassan.

Qaryout’s Mayor, Abd An-Nasser Al-Qaryouti told Ma’an that the farmers had obtained permission to head to the fields from the Israeli army through the Palestinian Authority’s liaison office.

Despite this prior coordination, the mayor said, settlers arrived in more than 70 cars. He said the settlers initiated the fight by hurling stones at the farmers. Israeli forces were present, and they did not attempt to stop the settlers, he added.

Qaryout is a village of about 2,500 people who depend on agriculture for their livelihood.



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Original Y-Net title: :Settlers, Palestinians clash in West Bank`


West Bank Jews march towards Palestinian village to protest olive harvest, stone-throwing ensues. Palestinians say settlers drove out farmers, cut down olive trees



Jewish settlers clashed with Palestinians Tuesday morning near the West Bank village of Krayot in the Nablus area. The settlers marched towards the village in protest of the olive harvest that is taking place there.


The settlers and Palestinians pelted each other with stones, but there were no reports of injury. Army and police forces dispatched to the scene broke up the clash and arrested a Palestinian rioter.


The settlers, who reached the village`s entrance, consider the olive harvest in the area to be a provocation on the part of Palestinians and left-wing activists, and criticized the IDF for allowing it.

According to the Palestinians, some 50 settlers forcefully drove out farmers who were picking olives near the Shvut Rachel outpost with the IDF`s authorization. They claimed soldiers did nothing to stop the settlers, and asked the Rabbis for Human Rights organization to investigate the incident.

Also on Tuesday, Palestinians from the village of Turmus `Ayya claimed that dozens of their olive trees had been cut down.

On Saturday a confrontation broke out between Palestinians protesting the expansion of the Bracha settlement and settlers at the site. During the clash, both sides hurled stones at each other.

Police forces held three settlers for questioning on suspicion of rioting and throwing stones during the clash.

A.K.
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