BETHLEHEM: Israeli colonists attacked Palestinian shepherds this evening outside the town of Tuqu, located in the southern West Bank province of Bethlehem, according to local sources.
Taysir Abu Mufarreh, an official in the Tuqu Municipality, told WAFA that a group of colonists from the colonial settlement of Tekoa – built on stolen Palestinian lands near the town -descended upon shepherds east of the town. The colonists forced the former to leave the area at gunpoint, threatening them with harm if they were to return.
During the assault, the colonists briefly detained a local Palestinian resident, Saleh Abu Mufarreh, before they let him go.
This recent assault is part of an ongoing pattern where Israeli colonists encroach upon Palestinian citizens, harassing and intimidating them. The town of Tuqu has frequently been a target for such attacks.
Source: Palestine news and Information Agency – WAFA