Rabbi Rules Olive Harvest Part of Israeli Land Commandment
Translated & summarized from Mignews by baba
Rabbi Dov Lior has ruled that Israelis may harvest olives from Arab-owned groves in Judea and Samaria, linking the act to a religious commandment concerning the Land of Israel. He asserted that Jewish land rights remain valid despite long-term Arab use. The ruling comes amid a sharp rise in security incidents in the Binyamin region, with reported cases doubling in a week.
The story in 5 lines · by baba
- Rabbi Dov Lior ruled Israelis can harvest olives from Arab groves in Judea and Samaria.
- The ruling connects olive harvesting to the religious commandment of conquering Israeli land.
- Rabbi Lior stated Jewish land rights are unaffected by long-term Arab cultivation.
- The decision permits harvesting even from groves far from Jewish settlements.
- The ruling coincides with a security escalation and doubling of incidents in the Binyamin region.
Rabbi Dov Lior, a prominent spiritual leader within religious Zionism, has issued a halachic ruling permitting Israelis to harvest olives from trees planted by local Arab populations in Judea and Samaria. The decision, which applies even to groves located far from Jewish settlements, connects the act to the religious commandment of conquering and confirming rights to the Land of Israel. Rabbi Lior based his ruling on property rights concerning the region's land resources, asserting that the Jewish people have never voluntarily relinquished their claims to the territory. He argued that Arab residents historically did not acquire these lands from the Jewish people or private owners. According to Jewish law, as presented in the ruling, land ownership rights remain unchanged, and long-term use by others does not negate the original status of the territory. The ruling also addresses potential financial claims for the planting and care of the trees, stating that Arab farmers have already benefited sufficiently from decades of harvests. Therefore, Rabbi Lior deemed the Israeli harvest fully legitimate, while also noting the need to mitigate risks associated with outsiders approaching Israeli settlements.
The ruling coincides with a significant security escalation during the autumn agricultural season. The Binyamin Regional Council reported a substantial increase in incidents and disturbances near farmlands, with security incidents reaching 48 cases in the past week, up from 23 the previous week.
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