NABLUS, Representatives from the European Union and likeminded countries today visited the northern West Bank village of Burqa, northwest of the city of Nablus, and were briefed by the village residents on their suffering due to the continued Israeli measures and attacks of settlers.

Nasser Hajji, from the Burqa village council, told the delegation that the village has been suffering from attacks and violations of the Israeli occupation as thousands of people were displaced and thousands of dunums of its lands were seized after the establishment of Homesh settlement in 1978.

He added that houses were demolished in the village and farmers were denied access to their lands despite the evacuation of the settlement in 2005 and decisions by Israeli courts allowing the return of these lands to the Palestinians.

Hajji pointed out that the town has been under siege for 70 days and repeated attacks by settlers, in addition to the injury of about 100 people by the army bullets and the arrest of dozens.

He said that the houses near the evacuated settlement are being attacked almost daily by settlers, and that the people are living in a state of terror.

Hajji called on the European Union and the free countries of the world to provide protection to the residents of Burqa and to pressure Israel to implement United Nations resolutions in order to achieve peace.

EU Representative to Palestine, Sven Kuhn von Burgsdorff, said that the settlers’ repeated attacks against Palestinians and their homes are a dangerous matter and that people must be provided protection.

He said that the presence of Homesh settlement is illegal and that the settlers have been evacuated from it, adding that there is a decision to allow the return of the lands to the Palestinians and that Israeli measures in the area violate international law.

Source: Palestine News Agency