Israeli settlers assault herders, journalists south of Hebron

Colonial Israeli settlers assaulted herders and journalists today as the former bulldozed nearly 15 dunums of Palestinian-owned lands in the village of Khallet Taha, to the southwest of Hebron, according to local sources.

The sources told WAFA that a group of army-guarded Israeli settlers from the colonial Israeli settlement of Negohot broke into Palestinian-owned lands in the area, located outside the towns of Beit Awwa and Deir Samet, before they embarked on bulldozing lands and setting up a tent.

The settlers attacked Palestinian herders who were grazing their livestock and forced them out of the area, said the sources. They also attacked WAFA’s cameraman, Mash’hour Wihwah, causing him bruises while he was covering the Israeli attack.

Violence by Israeli settlers is commonplace across the occupied West Bank, and is supported by the hard-right Israeli government.