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Photo:
Scene. Published by Maan News
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BETHLEHEM (Ma'an) -- Israeli bulldozers razed and leveled Palestinian agricultural lands, on Monday afternoon, in the Battir village, west of the southern occupied West Bank district of Bethlehem.

The mayor of Battir village, Tayseer Qatush, said that Israeli forces along with bulldozers stormed the outskirts of the village and began to raze about 15 dunams (3.7 acres) of land.

Qatush added that Israeli forces also destroyed stone walls and uprooted about 60 olive trees.

Battir was inscribed on the UNESCO list as "Palestine: Land of Olives and Vines" in 2014, andcomprises a series of farmed valleys, with characteristic stone terraces, some of which are irrigated for market garden production, while others are dry and planted with grapevines and olive trees. Battir is on the UNESCO world heritage list due to its terrace farming and irrigation channels.

Since the occupation of the West Bank, including East Jerusalem, in 1967, between 500,000 and 600,000 Israelis have moved into Israeli settlements in occupied Palestinian territory, in violation of international law.

The estimated 196 government recognized Israeli settlements scattered across the Palestinian territory are all considered illegal under international law.