A Hebrew newspaper revealed that Israeli settlement groups poisoned drinking water wells in some Palestinian areas in the occupied West Bank.
In a report by Israeli writer Gideon Levy, Haaretz warned that while Palestinian families are busy picking olives during the olive harvest season, settlers' attacks against Palestinians are escalating.
It added, "In recent years, this beautiful season has turned into a nightmare for Palestinians. There is no day that passes without attacks by settlers, and there is no morning without trees cut down or destroyed."
According to United Nations statistics, 8,000 olive trees were destroyed in 2021 by hundreds of settlers, who also steal sacks of olives from those who harvested their crops.
The newspaper added: "They know that they will not be harmed if they steal, uproot and burn olive trees. The Israeli army is afraid of them and always protects them even when they are rioting."
Among the heaviest crimes of the settlers against the Palestinians, Haaretz revealed that settlement groups poisoned Palestinian water wells, and confirmed that “settlers from the Gilad farm threw sheep corpses into a water well for the elderly Palestinian citizen Ibrahim Salah from the village of Farata, not far away from the settlement of Ariel, in order to poison the well.
The newspaper continued, "The view of the corpses that Basil, son of Ibrahim, took out from the well in front of our eyes was difficult, and its smell was very bad," adding: "This year, it seems that the settlers are stealing and vandalizing more than ever."
The newspaper explained that the young Basel, son of the elderly Palestinian Salah, was severely beaten by settlers on the head and shoulder during the olive picking season. He was treated at Meir Hospital and remained physically disabled.
The newspaper added that the farm of the Palestinian Salah is located near the Gilead farm settlement, and he needs prior coordination with the occupation army in order to reach his land and pick olives.
It indicated that when Salah succeeded in reaching his field, he discovered that the settlers stole the crop of 50 trees that are 70 years old.
The newspaper pointed out that the elderly Salah and his wife were ambushed by the settlers. They were assaulted and beaten while they were returning to their home after a work day in the olive harvest.