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Photos:
Scene. Published by Maan News
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BETHLEHEM (Ma'an) -- Hundreds of armed Israeli settlers raided Saint Saba Monastery (Mar Saba) area, near the al-Ubeidiya village east of the southern occupied West Bank district of Bethlehem, on predawn Tuesday.

Security sources told the Palestinian Authority (PA)-owned Wafa News Agency that hundreds of armed Israeli settlers raided the Greek Orthodox monastery area and performed religious rituals, under armed security by Israeli soldiers.

Locals reported that this is a first that Israeli settlers raid the Saint Saba Monastery, located 15 kilometers from Bethlehem City.

The monastery is considered one of the oldest inhabited monasteries in the world.

The raid came in time as many Palestinian Christians had headed to the monastery, late Monday and overnight, to perform prayers at the church inside the monastery to celebrate Saint Saba's Feast.