The Israeli army today prevented Palestinians from planting olive trees in their lands in the village of Jaloud, near the West Bank city of Nablus, under the pretext it was “state land,” according to the Palestinian news agency WAFA.

Ghassan Daghlas, in charge of the settlements file in the Palestinian Authority, said the soldiers refused to allow the landowners to reach their lands located on the outskirts of the village and some 200 meters from Jaloud secondary school, claiming the land was state-owned.

Palestinian Olive Trez Uprootd & Sold By Israel
Widespread sale of uprootd Palestinian olive trees to rich Israelis and town councils, sometimes for thousands of pounds each. Reporters found 1 huge tree, reputed to be 600 years old, for sale at an Israeli plant nursery 4 £3,500. pic.twitter.com/8m4a2AQBEo

— Saeed Rasheed (@SaeedRa70833302) December 12, 2020

However, the landowners refuted the army’s claim and said the land was privately-owned and that they have the documents to prove it.

The Israeli occupation authorities often use false pretexts to expropriate land in the occupied West Bank and East Jerusalem.

(WAFA, PC, Social Media)