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Israeli Army Bulldozes Trees and Destroys Lands Near Tulkarem Under Security Pretext
In a new controversial move, Israeli occupation forces carried out a large-scale operation to uproot trees and demolish earth mounds in an area near the city of Tulkarem in the West Bank, targeting over 200 dunams.
Local sources reported that Israeli military bulldozers entered the area at dawn and began land leveling and uprooting fruit trees, causing severe damage to agricultural lands that serve as a primary source of livelihood for many Palestinian families. Israeli authorities claimed that these measures are justified by “security concerns,” arguing that the trees and earth mounds could be used as cover by armed individuals to carry out attacks against the Israeli army or nearby settlements.
Farmers and landowners expressed deep anger over this action, emphasizing that it is part of a systematic policy aimed at depopulating the land of its native residents. Several individuals pointed out that losing more than 200 dunams of farmland means a significant loss of agricultural production, especially for olive trees, which are a national and economic symbol for the Palestinian people.
Palestinian and international human rights organizations condemned these actions, considering them blatant violations of international laws and the Geneva Conventions, which prohibit the destruction or confiscation of private property in occupied territories except for urgent military reasons—reasons that are absent in this case.
This development comes amid increasing tensions in northern the West Bank, with rising freqIn the face of these assaults, Palestinian farmers remain challenged in their efforts to preserve their land and identity, amid the absence of effective international action to halt these repeated violations.
