Israeli settlers today fenced off a tract of pasture land in the northern Jordan Valley in an apparent prelude to take over the land, according to a local activist.
Aref Daraghmeh, a human rights activist, said settlers proceeded since the early morning hours to fence off a tract of land to the south of Ein al-Hilweh community in the northern Jordan Valley.
The fence is about three kilometers long.
Since the beginning of this year, settlers have fenced off pasture lands in various areas in the Jordan Valley, thus taking over thousands of dumuns.
They have controlled most of the pastures where shepherds used to graze their livestock for decades, set up their own livestock farms, and prevented the Palestinian shepherds, under the force of arms and in support of soldiers, from using these pastures.
Setting up settlement farms in the Jordan Valley and in the South Hebron Hills is one way Israel takes over the West Bank lands and pushes the Palestinians out of them.