BETHLEHEM (Ma'an) -- Israeli settlers on Monday uprooted nearly 100 olive and almond trees in a village southwest of Bethlehem, a local official told Ma'an TV.

The head of the Nahhalin village council said a large group of settlers, guarded by Israeli forces, uprooted nearly 100 trees aged around 30 years old.

The fields, in an area known locally as al-Jamjum, belong to members of the Fanoun family.

“Yesterday, around 3 p.m., I passed by and there was nothing wrong. I always check on the trees. This morning I came here around 8 a.m. and a massacre had been committed. Seemingly they did it overnight,” says the mayor.

Farmers told Ma’an TV that they have been suffering from attacks for 10 years.

“They uproot trees, and we plant new trees. Whenever they uproot a tree, we plant another as we are determined to remain firm on our land,” says a young resident of the village.