Israeli settlers targeting Palestinian factories to force workers off land

Rising Israeli settler violence targets Palestinian industrial facilities across the occupied West Bank, aiming to paralyse the local economy and force mass displacement.A massive fire, believed to have been started by Israeli settlers, has destroyed olive trees and farmland in the occupied West Bank.A blaze broke out near the al-Omari aluminium factory in the village of Ein Siniya, north of Ramallah, on Monday morning, spreading to roughly 50 dunams (12.3 acres) of perennial olive trees and causing damage to the industrial facility’s yard.Recommended Stories list of 4 itemslist 1 of 4How Israel’s Netanyahu weaponises religion in his war rhetoriclist 2 of 4Israeli forces raid UNRWA training centre in occupied East Jerusalemlist 3 of 4Palestine weekly: After Kushner departs, Israel escalates Gaza attackslist 4 of 4Israeli restrictions cause fuel shortage in occupied West Bankend of listIt comes amid a settler campaign targeting the West Bank economy, including farmland and industry, in a bid to displace Palestinians, sources told Al Jazeera.Emad Khater, the head of Ein Siniya council, told Al Jazeera that a settler from the Atara hilltops was seen close to the facility before the fire started. When the blaze broke out, Israeli soldiers prevented residents and workers from putting out the fire.“[It] is one of a series of systematic attacks that previously affected Ein Siniya, which included deliberate fires in trees, homes, and cars, in addition to theft incidents and physical assaults with beatings that affected citizens and workers inside the factories,” said Khater.Ein Siniya is in Area B according to the Oslo Accords, which should see it under Palestinian civil and joint Israeli-Palestinian security control.A bulldozer at the Ein Samia stone crusher shows severe damage after Israeli settlers infiltrated the site and set fire to heavy equipment [Screenshot/Al Jazeera]Abdul Samad Abdul Aziz, the owner of the Ein Siniya facility, said Israelis from illegal settlements had infiltrated the industrial site in late July and set fire to heavy equipment. A stone crusher was severely damaged in the attack and caused an estimated $700,000 in losses.