Illegal Israeli immigrants continue burning Palestinian farmland

July 7 (UPI) -- Illegal Israeli immigrants to Palestine have begun construction of a road west of Bethlehem in the occupied West Bank as they continue to set fires to Palestinian crops under the protection of the Israeli army.

The illegal immigrants, coming from Israel, are building the road on Palestinian-owned land in the village of Husan, the Palestinian News and Information Agency reported . Also known as WAFA, it is the official state-run news agency of the Palestinian National Authority.

Rami Hamamreh, the director of the Husan village council, told the news agency that illegal Israeli immigrants also began excavation of land near the Sidi Bo'az colony where settlers have been killing Palestinian farmers since at least 2017.

The issue of Israeli settlers in the West Bank is deemed illegal under international law, violating the Fourth Geneva Convention. These settlements lead to the displacement of Palestinian communities, the expropriation of land, and frequent conflicts.

The presence of settlers complicates peace efforts and contributes to a cycle of violence caused by the Israelis. The Israeli government's support for settlements exacerbates tensions and undermines the prospects for a two-state solution.

In the Dhahr Al-Abed village, west of Jenin, illegal Israeli immigrants set fire to a farmhouse and an olive tree grove, WAFA reported . And near Ramallah, illegal Israeli immigrants cut down a grove of olive trees on Palestinian farmland.

Last month, a group of illegal Israeli immigrants burned crops on land near the town of Asira al-Qibliya, south of Nablus, the head of the village council Hafez Saleh has said. The settlers raised the Israeli flag after taking the land.

The practice of burning Palestinian crops has long been criticized by observers of the decades-long conflict, well before Hamas ' attack on Oct. 7. In 2018, Israeli newspaper Haaretz dubbed the practice "farm warfare."

The destruction of the land has also been occurring in Palestine's Gaza , where 57% of agricultural land has been reported to have been destroyed by Israeli forces.

The practice leaves Palestinians with little economic stability or reprieve, beholden to Israel's mercy or help from aid groups. In 2022, Gaza exported $44.6 million worth of produce -- mainly to the West Bank and Israel.