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BETHLEHEM (Ma'an) -- Israeli settlers damaged agricultural fields near Bethlehem-area village Wadi Fukin overnight Monday, the local council leader said.

The group came from neighboring Israeli settlement Betar Illit, and were chased off lands by local residents, village council head Ahmad Sukkar said.

They damaged harvests on land belonging to Hajj Ibrajim Muhammad Awad and Hajj Atiyeh Manasra, he said, adding that settlers threatened to return to destroy more land.

Israeli military patrols later arrived at the scene, Sukkar said.

The councilor said armed settlers enter the village almost daily to threaten local farmers.

More than two-thirds of the village have been confiscated by Israel since 1948, when it extended to 12,000 dunams, he said, warning that settlers aim to take over the remaining lands.

Betar Illit was established around 1982 on land owned by Palestinians from the villages of Husan, Nahhalin, Battir, Wadi Fukin and Jaba. The settlement now houses 40,000 settlers, most of whom are ultra-orthodox.

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Israeli Settlers Sabotage Crops, Agricultural Land near Bethlehem

BETHLEHEM, May 15, 2012 (WAFA) – A group of Israel settlers sabotaged late Monday agricultural land and crops in Palestinian private land in Wadi Fukin, a village southwest of Bethlehem, local farmers said Tuesday.

They said around 20 settlers from the nearby Beitar Illit raided the land around midnight under the protection of the Israeli army. Villagers and farmers faced the settlers, who fled the scene shortly after.

Head of Wadi Fukin village council, Ahmad Sukkar, said the settlers’ attack is part of a grander Israeli scheme aiming to forcibly take over the village land, of which the Israeli occupation already took over 8.000 dunums.

R.Q./M.S.