Rabbi Rules It Permissible for Jews to Harvest Olives in West Bank

Rabbi Dov Lior, one of the senior rabbis of Religious Zionism, has issued a ruling stating that it is permissible for Jews to harvest olives from groves throughout Judea and Samaria, even in areas far from Jewish settlements. In his ruling, titled "On the Question of Many Regarding Olive Harvesting in the Groves Scattered Throughout Judea, Samaria, and Benjamin," Rabbi Lior asserted that the land was never purchased from the Jewish people or private Jews, thus remaining in Jewish ownership. He further explained that if Arab cultivators cannot harvest due to security reasons, it can be assumed they have given up on the fruits. "If they planted trees and there are fruits, such as olives, despair is effective," he wrote, adding that even if the cultivators are entitled to compensation for their work, they have already received it over the years from the fruits they consumed. Rabbi Lior also noted that the fruits are exempt from tithes. He concluded that harvesting olives in the Land of Israel is entirely permissible and even carries extra merit given the security dangers posed by Arabs approaching Jewish settlements. The ruling extends to groves not adjacent to Jewish settlements, emphasizing that harvesting also signifies asserting ownership of the land and fulfilling the commandment to conquer the land.