APN | West Bank
22 May 2025

APN’s team in Palestine planted 2,000 fruit trees, supported by Abu Shaqra, in Umm al-Khair, one of the villages in Masafer Yatta south of Hebron, and in the village of Bayt Sakarya south of Bethlehem, as part of the Million Tree Campaign.

The planted trees included various types of grapes and citrus, aiming to strengthen the steadfastness of local communities suffering from the tactics of the Israeli occupation, and to contribute to food security in areas under existential threat.

More than 12 villages in Masafer Yatta are at risk of forced displacement following the occupation's decision to declare the area a "firing zone"—a systematic policy intended to empty the land of its people in favor of settlement expansion. The region continues to face escalating measures, including repeated demolitions and the denial of basic services such as water, electricity, and infrastructure, while surrounding settlements receive full support and amenities.

Meanwhile, the village of Bayt Sakarya, completely encircled by the “Gush Etzion” settlement bloc, faces a suffocating siege and blatant restrictions, ranging from land confiscation to bans on construction and threats to public facilities, all under the pressure of daily settler attacks.