Israeli settlers uprooted on Monday a number of olive trees in al-Hamra area east of the southern West Bank town of Yatta, according to a local activist

Rateb Jbour, member of the local popular committee, told WAFA that settlers from Ma’on and Havat Ma’on, which were illegally built on Yatta land, uprooted 15 olive trees as Palestinians prepare for the olive harvest season next month.

He said that this was not the first time the settlers uproot trees in that area in an effort to force its Palestinian residents to leave it with a goal to expand area settlements at the expense of the local population and their livelihood.