Heavily armed Israeli settlers torch Palestinian olive orchards, Israeli soldiers block fire fighters from extinguishing blaze

IMEMC – A group of fundamentalist Israeli settlers torched on Friday Palestinian olive orchards in Jabal Suleiman area, near Burin village, south of the northern West Bank city of Nablus.

Eyewitnesses reported that at least twenty heavily armed extremist settlers burnt at least 80 Dunams of farmlands, including dozens of olive trees.

Israeli soldiers arrived at the scene but did not attempt to remove the settlers, or even stop them, and also obstructed the work of Palestinian firefighters.

The settlers also attacked several Palestinian homes in Burin and in the nearby Huwwara village, and hurled stones at the homes and the residents; damage was reported, no injuries.

The attack is part of a series of escalated violations carried out by the settlers against local Palestinian farmers, and their orchards.