An illegal Arab-operated dump run by the village of Deir Istiya in Samaria reportedly attracts thousands of migratory birds each year, which see the site as an easy food source.
According to the report, food scattered among piles of garbage and polluted smoke has caused severe environmental damage and harmed the birds themselves.
On Tuesday, residents of the outpost of Tzon Aviezer, located between the communities of Yitzhar and Emmanuel, discovered a stork suffering from injuries to its legs and body after spending time near the dump. The bird had landed in grazing fields after losing its ability to fly because of its injuries.
The stork was found completely exhausted and was taken to safety at the hilltop community, where residents provided it with water and food. The residents immediately notified the Israel Nature and Parks Authority, and an inspector arrived to collect the bird for medical treatment and eventual release back into the wild.
Just two weeks earlier, residents documented another stork attempting to fly with a large sheet of plastic from the dump wrapped around its neck.
“The enormous environmental damage caused by the Palestinian Authority is unimaginable and affects every corner," said Oz Yehuda Rom, who found the stork together with his wife Tamar.
“We breathe the toxic smoke from the dump every day, along with the other communities in the area, but we repeatedly see that wildlife is also suffering from it," he said.
“This time, thank God, we were here on the ground to locate and help the animals harmed by this environmental terror, but before the hilltop community was established, the lawlessness on this ridge was severe. We learned once again today that only settlement will prevent Arab terror of all kinds and restore security and peace to the people of Israel and to nature," Rom added.