Flotilla Organizers Target West Bank Olive Harvest

The Ministry of Diaspora Affairs and Combating Antisemitism has revealed that the Global Sumud Flotilla organization, which previously organized a flotilla to Gaza involving climate activist Greta Thunberg, is now recruiting international activists for an upcoming olive harvest in the West Bank. The organization published a call for volunteers on social media, setting October 7, 2026, as the application deadline. This information was gathered by the Ministry's National Monitoring Center, which tracks and maps foreign activists planning to enter Israel for organized campaigns.

The program requires participants to stay for at least two weeks and includes training in "direct action" and political and media activities. The organization aims not only for a temporary presence but also to have participants act as catalysts for organizing efforts in their home countries upon return, framing it as part of a "broader confrontation with Zionism as a political project." This initiative joins other campaigns, such as "Faz3a" and the "International Solidarity Movement," which recruit foreign activists to the West Bank, describing their activities as a "protective presence."

While the program organizers offer assistance with travel funding, they also warn potential applicants that entry into Israel is controlled by authorities and may be denied based on travel history, passport, family background, or public political activity. Avi Cohen Scali, Director General of the Ministry of Diaspora Affairs and Combating Antisemitism, stated, "The State of Israel will not serve as a playground for foreign anarchists. Those who seek to come here as part of an organized effort to provoke, disrupt order, and act against the State of Israel should know that Israel identifies them, locates them, and will act against them with all legal tools at its disposal."