Israeli forces destroy roads leading to Jabal Sabih in Beita

Nablus (QNN)- Israeli occupation forces earlier on Friday destroyed roads leading to Jabal Sabih in Beita village in Nablus in the occupied West Bank.

Local sources said the forces earlier today escorted bulldozers to the area and destroyed roads leading to Jabal Sabih in the village of Beita, which becomes a site of weekly protests against the Israeli occupation and settlement expansion, to prevent the Palestinians from reaching the Jabal Sabih.

In May 2021, a group of Israeli settlers set up caravans on Jabal Sabih, which lies on the southern outskirts of Beita, and comprises an estimated 30 percent of Beita’s entire land area, with the help of Israeli forces, who have since prevented any Palestinian access to the area.

Within days, settlers installed mobile houses, built roads and raised an Israeli flag over the settlement of Evyatar in Beita.

Later, the occupation authorities evacuated dozens of Israeli settlers from the illegal settlement after a deal was reached between a settler leader and the occupation’s new government.

Yossi Dagan, head of settler organization the Shomron Regional Council, struck a deal with Israel’s War minister, Benny Gantz, and interior minister Ayelet Shaked, turning the illegal outpost into a religious school and a military base for the Israeli forces.

‘Israel’ will keep about 50 caravan houses settlers, installed last May on Palestinian lands, while settlers would “return” to the land when Israeli occupation authorities designate it as “state-owned.”

The livelihoods of at least 17 Palestinian families – more than 100 people – are threatened as they depend on harvesting their olives on land they have owned for generations.

Since then, Beita has witnessed several protests and night-confusion activities against the new settler outpost of Evyatar on Jabal Sabih. Palestinians worshippers also perform the Friday prayer near the village as a sign of protest.

However, although the protests have been peaceful, Israeli forces have suppressed, detained, and assaulted the protesters, resulting in injuring hundreds and killing others as they have fired rubber-coated metal bullets, tear gas canisters, and live ammunition directly and intensively towards the protesters.

9 Palestinians were killed by the Israeli forces during the peaceful protests: Issa Barham, Tariq Sanbar, Ahmed Bani Shams, Shadi Shurafa, Emad Dweikat, Mohammed Hamayel, Zakaria Hamayel, Mohamed al-Kabisa and Jameel Abu Ayyash, who was shot dead last Friday.

12 August 2021 marked the 100th day of protests and resistance against Israeli occupation and settlement expansion in Beita.

In addition to Jabal Sabih, Israeli forces erected another colonial settlement outpost atop Jabal Al-Arma, north of Beita, a few months ago.

Both of the mountains enjoy a strategic location as they overlook the Jordan Valley, a fertile strip of land running west along the Jordan River which makes up approximately 30% of the occupied West Bank.

Israel’s outgoing Attorney General Avichai Mendelblit authorized on Tuesday the establishment of a settlement on the site of the cleared-out illegal West Bank outpost of Evyatar, just days before the end of his tenure.

In a legal opinion released this week, Mendelblit determines that declaring Evyatar as state-owned can proceed.

The move still requires the final approval of War Minister Benny Gantz.