Days Of Palestine – Nablus

Israeli Jewish settlers attempted to destroy the Palestinian flagpole and the solidarity tent on the Mount Arma near Beita town in southern Nablus on Saturday morning.

Local sources said that local residents from the towns and villages surrounding the mount made a great effort and succeeded foilling the Jewish settler's attempts to seize the mount.  

Local activist Abdul-Salam Awwad, known as specialist in settlement and Jerusalem affairs, explained that a horde of settlers stormed on Saturday morning Mount Arma, for the second day running, but the presence of Palestinian young men from Beita and Awarta towns and other nearby villages frustrated their intents to remove a pole carrying a Palestinian flag and a tent on the mount as a prelude to seizing the place.

Awwad noted that the settlers escaped the area after seeing crowds of local residents running to the mount to stand by their compatriots from Beit and Awarta towns.

However, he warned that Jewish settlers and soldiers would come back again to take over the mount and remove the flagpole and tent, calling for continuing to pooling efforts to fend them off and thwart their settlement plans.

Over 190 Palestinian citizens from the area suffered injuries during clashes with Israeli soldiers and settlers who tried to seize the place on Friday.

Mount Arma or Urma, which means “Pile”, is a high mountain of around 850 meters located in the middle of the section of the Masar Ibrahim al-Khalil connecting the villages of Awarta and Aqraba. The fortified structure of Khirbet al-Arma is worth the climb to the mountain’s peak. Remains of an ancient tower (probably Roman) can still be seen on its southern part. Remains of rock-cut reservoirs (spacious cisterns) and pottery fragments have been found there. Shepherds from nearby villages often graze their cattle there and use the high hill as the observation spot from where they can guard their animals.