Youth News Palestine-Ramallah

Hundreds of Israeli settlers occupied five locations in the West Bank with the intention of setting up new settlements, official sources said on Monday.

The settlers occupied a valley, near the city of Bethlehem, of some 150 Donums (a donum = 1338 sqm) and set up camp, protected by the Israeli security forces.

Another group of settlers went to and set camp at a town near Al-Khalil (Hebron) and the jumjuma mount area.

The settlers were celebrating the land takeover.

Settlers were also occupying another valley in the city of Nablus and the Jewish settlement of Kedumim.

Israeli peace movements revealed that 56 settlements were set up haphazardly in the West Bank in the era of former Israeli prime minister Ariel Sharon.

The Israeli authorities claimed that their troops started evacuating the settlers from those areas, despite Palestinian statements that the settlers were stationed where they are under army protection.