Settler Violence Disrupts Olive Harvest in West Bank, Injuring Farmers and Damaging Property

Numerous Palestinians were injured during settler attacks on villages in the occupied West Bank, including Deir Jarir, Burqa, Abu Falah, and Turmusayya, primarily targeting olive harvesters. The assaults, which occurred on Friday, October 16, 2026, also resulted in the burning and destruction of several vehicles and olive trees. Local sources reported that settlers physically assaulted farmers in Turmusayya, burning three Palestinian vehicles and attacking the outskirts of the town. In Burqa, east of Ramallah, four people were injured during a settler attack on olive harvesters in the "Khallet Aliy" area. The Palestinian Red Crescent stated its crews treated four assault victims from Burqa, transferring them to the hospital. Two individuals were injured in Abu Falah, east of Ramallah, by settlers who were allegedly protected by Israeli forces. Three people were injured in Deir Jarir, near Ramallah, by settlers, according to the Palestinian Red Crescent, amid escalating violence against olive pickers. A photojournalist was also injured during joint attacks by settlers and Israeli forces in Abu Falah. In Turmusayya, settlers set fire to fruit-bearing trees and a vehicle belonging to Palestinian Civil Defense volunteers who were attempting to extinguish fires on residents' land. The Red Crescent reported treating two individuals, a 63-year-old woman and a 40-year-old man, who were beaten during a settler attack on olive harvesters. Settlers also attacked olive harvesters in the eastern area of Turmusayya, burning olive trees, while Israeli forces reportedly fired live ammunition and tear gas at residents to force them off their land. In another incident, settlers attacked an elderly man and damaged vehicles while targeting olive harvesters between the town of Birzeit and the village of Barham, north of Ramallah. Dozens of settlers reportedly attacked olive harvesters and popular support committees, injuring an elderly man and damaging several vehicles. Settlers, protected by occupation soldiers, also attacked citizens and olive harvesters in 'Abwein, north of Ramallah, confiscating their harvest and two vehicles, and destroying several others, forcing residents to leave their land. On Thursday evening, settlers stole a tractor and an olive harvest from the Al-Masoudiya area belonging to Burqa, northwest of Nablus. The Palestinian Wall and Settlement Resistance Commission announced on Monday that it had documented 136 attacks related to the olive harvest season since the beginning of October, carried out by the Israeli army and settlers. These attacks included beatings, expulsions, intimidation, shootings, tear gas, arrests, theft of produce and equipment, and tree vandalism. The UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) reported in September 2026 that settlers had carried out over 1,600 attacks in the West Bank since the start of the year until September 14, resulting in injuries or property damage, or both, affecting 275 Palestinian communities. OCHA noted that settler attacks and access restrictions have cumulative consequences on residents, including isolation and reduced access to homes, agricultural lands, essential services, and livelihoods.