West Asia

Israeli forces raided homes in the West Bank and kidnapped a journalist from his house, while restrictions were imposed in other parts of the area. The occupying regime’s forces kidnapped Palestinian journalist Mohammed Ateeq on Saturday during a raid on his home in the town of Burqin, in the northern West Bank, Quds News Network reported. They also imposed a curfew on Beit Ummar, north of Hebron, as they pressured shopkeepers to close their stores, fired stun grenades and tear gas at Palestinians, according to the Palestinian news agency WAFA.

WAFA also reported that the Israeli regime deployed military vehicles and infantry troops throughout the town’s streets, sealing all entrances and exits with iron gates. Raids also took place south of al-Khalil, where Israeli forces raided al-Fawwar refugee camp and fired stun grenades and tear gas at its residents. Israeli forces also set up a military checkpoint at al-Saheb junction in al-Khalil, where they mistreated residents and searched their vehicles.

The forces ransacked the contents of Palestinian vehicles and checked their occupants’ identity cards, WAFA reported. With the latest abduction of Ateeq, the number of Palestinian journalists abducted by Israeli forces since October 7, 2023, comes to 36, including three female journalists. Since October 2023, when Israel began its genocidal war on Gaza, Israeli forces have killed around 300 journalists and wounded more than 400. Israeli settlers attack Palestinian home and olive harvesters Israeli settlers attacked a residence in Beita, south of Nablus, in the occupied West Bank on Saturday, and raided the home of Palestinian resident Mutie Salim Qutish.

WAFA reported that as the settlers stormed the town, they wrecked two vehicles belonging to another resident. The news agency also explained that settlers’ violence against Palestinians is almost a daily occurrence. According to footage shared by Palestinian groups on Saturday, a group of several masked settlers rode in the back of a pickup truck and another car, one of which was stolen, chasing and intimidating Palestinians. The group attacked Palestinians harvesting olives in the village of Sa’ir, in the southern West Bank.

In the same area, a Palestinian car was vandalized, and WAFA reported that at least five Palestinians were wounded. United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) reported on November 13 that settler violence and access restrictions continued to displace families and disrupt the olive harvest. In recent months, West Bank residents have endured numerous acts of settler violence, particularly against olive farmers during the harvesting season.

OCHA documented 410 harvest-related settler attacks from September 1 to November 9.