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Photo:
Abbas Yousef, 70, points towards his olive trees on land either side of an Israeli settlement in the village of al-Janiya west of Ramallah on October 28, 2014. Published by Maan News
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BETHLEHEM (Ma'an) -- Israeli forces Sunday prevented Palestinian farmers in the town of Azzun, to the east of Qalqilya in the northern occupied West Bank, from accessing their farms to pick up olives, Palestinian news agency Wafa reported.

The farmers told Wafa that their after they approached their farms, which are located near the Israeli illegal settlement of Maale Shomron, Israeli forces and settlement guards ordered them to leave the area and not return until mid-October because of Jewish holidays.

Wafa noted that similar incidents have occurred in the area over the past month.

Severe restrictions on movement for Palestinians are typically implemented by Israeli authorities during Jewish holidays for alleged security purposes. Israeli authorities implemented a "general closure" on the occupied West Bank and besieged Gaza Strip for Rosh Hashanah last month and Yom Kippur over the weekend.