Israeli security forces arrested three Palestinians on Monday in the West Bank town of Nablus. The men were all reportedly members of the Islamic Jihad, Hamas and Fatah factions.
The arrests come one day after 200 Palestinian-owned olive trees were reportedly cut down by chainsaw wielding Jewish settlers who entered the West Bank village of Salem, near Nablus overnight, according to media sources.
On Saturday, Israeli volunteers had helped Palestinians of the town restore the olive groves, which had been attacked only a month ago by settlers as well.
A representative of the group of volunteers, from Israel’s agricultural “Kibbutz Movement”, told reporters that the group would help any farmers in need of assistance. The group has called on settlers to stop the attacks on olive trees, and called on the Israeli military to take more aggressive steps towards settlers involved in such activity.
Meanwhile, Israel’s Defense Ministry along with its security forces is working to secure an agreement with settlers to evacuate the Amona area of the West Bank, near Ofra, according to Israeli Radio reports.
Israel’s Supreme Court has ordered that the area be cleared of settlers by January, as it was built on Palestinian lands.
