In the West Bank, Palestinian and Israeli activists blocked traffic on a highway into Jerusalem Tuesday to protest repeated attacks by Jewish settlers on Palestinian olive groves. Israeli soldiers used tear gas and stun grenades against protesters. Hundreds of olive trees that provide a livelihood for Palestinians in the West Bank were uprooted, burned or chopped down by settlers during the first week of the harvest this month. One protester condemned the attacks.

Mahmoud Zawahreh: “Today’s activity, to close Route 443, which goes through the Palestinian lands, tying together the settler terrorists who are uprooting olive trees and burning them. We came as part of the popular committees to close this road and to tell them that we are stronger than your streets, your weapons and your settlers, and you should stop settler terrorism, which they are carrying out against all our Palestinian lands by uprooting anything that gives life on this land, specifically the blessed olive tree, the symbol for peace and love.”