BETHLEHEM: Israeli colonists, under the protection of the Israeli occupation forces, today raided agricultural lands in the city of Beit Jala, west of Bethlehem, in an apparent prelude to take them over .

Alice Qaysiya, daughter of the landowner Ramzi Qaysiya, said that a group of Israeli colonists attacked them while they were on their land in the Makhrour area, northwest of Beit Jala, assaulted them, and dismantled an agricultural room with the aim of seizing the land, which occupied an area of about 5-dunams in area.

The family has documents proving its ownership of the land, and that it won a case from one of the occupation courts confirming its right to the land.

The occupation forces also demolished a restaurant built on the same land years ago.

The colonists further seized large-tract of lands belonging to Palestinian residents of Makhrour area in Beit Jala and established a colonial outpost there.

Source: Palestine News and Information Agency – WAFA