Israeli army present as Palestinian trees are viciously uprooted en masse

In the occupied West Bank, also known as Cisjordania, a series of events have unfolded since the onset of the Gaza war in October 2023. The region has witnessed a significant escalation in violence, leading to numerous casualties on both sides.

Over the past ten months, at least 971 Palestinians, including many fighters and civilians, have been killed by Israeli soldiers or settlers in Cisjordania. This tragic toll does not exclude the 36 Israelis, including civilians and soldiers, who have also lost their lives in Palestinian attacks or during Israeli military operations.

The Israeli army has been active in the village of Al Mughayyir, located in central Cisjordania. On August 16, an 18-year-old youth was shot dead by the Israeli army in the village. The army responded to stones thrown by "terrorists" in the area, but did not establish an explicit link with the young man killed.

The Israeli military arrested a man on August 16, accusing him of being responsible for a "terrorist attack." The arrest was part of a broader raid campaign in the West Bank by Israeli forces. The army launched an "intense operational activity" around Al Mughayyir due to a "serious shooting incident."

However, the operation in Al Mughayyir has sparked controversy. Ghassan Abou Aliya, head of a local agricultural association, stated that the goal of the operation is to control and force people to emigrate. Abdelatif Mohamed Abou Aliya, a farmer from Al Mughayyir, lost olive trees over 70 years old on an equivalent of one hectare of land. Bulldozers uprooted hundreds of trees in the village, turning the soil of several fields around the village over and leaving olive trees lying on the ground.

Several bulldozers with Israeli flags were seen in Al Mughayyir, and military vehicles were stationed below. The Israeli army is investigating the tree uprooting in Al Mughayyir, and the army "cleared" an "area" near a road where a suspected assailant had allegedly hidden in vegetation.

Several residents indicated that the operation had begun on Thursday. A Palestinian NGO for prisoners' rights reported 14 arrests in the village over three days. The Israeli army was present during the tree uprooting.

It is important to note that around 500,000 Israelis are settled in illegal colonies in Cisjordania under international law. The situation in Cisjordania continues to be a source of international concern, with three million Palestinians living in the territory occupied by Israel since 1967.