by Maayana Miskin November 7, 2010 
In the video approximately one dozen people can be seen wandering around the field, stopping occasionally to bend over and set new fires. The group does not appear anxious, and does nothing to extinguish the flames.
Jews living in Judea and Samaria have said for years that reports of Jews burning or cutting down Arab-owned olive trees are manufactured in order to create an olive harvest libel that earns sympathy for PA Arabs. In fact, they say, Jews are often the victims of Arab attacksduring the harvest, while Arabs are given IDF protection.
This year, activists in Samaria have created a website encouraging Jews to document Arab assaults during the harvest.
Six foreign nationals and Palestinians set fires alight near the West Bank settlement of Bat Ayin in the Gush Etzion bloc. Police said the suspects were taken in for questioning on suspicion of arson and illegal congregation.
Settlers said that at about 11 am they saw fires on lands they said belonged to Bat Ayin. Security sources said it was apparently land whose ownership is not regulated.
Dov Mark, land supervisor for the Gush Etzion Council, said such acts have taken place a number of times. "This is a known Palestinian method to take over state land," he said. "With the support of anarchists, who usually come from abroad, they come to an area of natural woodland which has never been cultivated, burn it on purpose and at the same time plant trees. It's all supposed to alter the reality on the ground."
Mark warned that "in this way, it's hard for the Israel Land Administration to work from the moment they plant trees on the land or cultivate it for agricultural crops. In today's case, some 80 dunams (20 acres) of natural woodland were burned by a group of 25 Palestinians and anarchists."
I grabbed the YNet video and put it on YouTube: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HSwP8p2Nj3w
Monday, 8 November 2010
Anarchists, Arabs Caught Burning Olive Trees
Foreign anarchists and Palestinian Authority Arabs were caught on film Sunday setting fire to a wooded area outside the Jewish town of Bat Ayin, between Jerusalem and Hevron. The fire damaged many plants, including olive trees.
Click the image to watch the video.
Residents who witnessed the incident said they believe the group was planning to blame the arson attack on the Jews of Bat Ayin.
November 7, 2010
From YNet:
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