Israeli settlers attacked Palestinians in the West Bank while harvesting olives

Israeli settlers were seen attacking Palestinian farmers and burning olive trees in the West Bank.

Israeli settlers attack Palestinians in the West Bank while picking olives

The BBC witnessed Israeli settlers attacking Palestinians and burning olive trees in the occupied West Bank.

About a dozen black-clad settlers marched down a hill near a checkpoint — which is illegal under international law — toward a farm where Palestinians and activists were harvesting olives. They set about ten trees on fire and threw stones from slingshots.

The UN says there have been more violent Israeli settler attacks in the past two weeks than in the entire harvest season last year. This organization says that the level of violence among the settlers has reached its highest level this year.

The BBC's Middle East correspondent Lucy Williamson reports.

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