Israeli bulldozers have begun paving a new settlement road on Palestinian-owned land near the village of Battir, west of Bethlehem in the occupied West Bank, according to local sources.
Residents said the construction is taking place in the Al-Hanjaliya area and will provide access to a settlement outpost established on land belonging to the village.
According to local accounts, the road project forms part of ongoing settlement expansion in the area and is expected to affect additional agricultural land while further restricting Palestinian access to their property.
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Battir, along with the neighbouring communities of Al-Walaja and Beit Jala, has witnessed increased settlement activity in recent months.
Separately on Sunday, Israeli bulldozers reportedly uprooted and destroyed hundreds of olive trees in the town of Zububa, west of Jenin.
Local sources said the operation affected large areas of privately owned agricultural land cultivated by residents of the town.
The reported uprooting comes amid continued settlement activity and land-clearing operations in parts of the occupied West Bank, where Palestinian communities have raised concerns over the loss of farmland and increasing restrictions on access to agricultural areas.
Israeli authorities have not immediately commented on the reported operations.
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