UN Warns of Surge in Settler Attacks on Palestinians During Olive Harvest

The United Nations has issued a stark warning regarding an increase in Israeli settler attacks against Palestinians in the West Bank during the ongoing olive harvest season. According to the UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA), over 200 such attacks have been recorded since the season began, resulting in one Palestinian fatality, over 120 injuries, and damage to more than 2,500 olive trees and saplings. Farhan Haq, Deputy Spokesperson for the UN Secretary-General, stated on Friday that approximately 80% of these attacks occurred in the past two weeks, coinciding with the peak of the olive harvest.

These assaults include physical violence against farmers, threats, denial of access to agricultural lands, destruction of olive trees, and theft of crops and equipment. Compounding these direct attacks, Israeli authorities impose restrictions on Palestinian access to their groves, particularly those near settlements or located behind the separation barrier, jeopardizing the livelihoods of thousands of families. The UN and its humanitarian partners are providing support to farmers, including agricultural supplies, monitoring access restrictions, and offering legal aid.

In Gaza, Haq noted that restrictions on importing agricultural equipment and supplies, such as engine oil and spare parts, are hindering farming operations and harvest efforts. These limitations also affect the functioning of the remaining olive presses in the strip, amidst the destruction of groves and difficulties accessing certain areas, especially those behind the "Green Line."

Adding to the concerns, Rabbi Dov Lior, a prominent figure in Religious Zionism and former Rabbi of Kiryat Arba, issued a religious ruling permitting settlers to seize Palestinian olive crops in the West Bank. He asserted that the land is holy to Jews and that Palestinians have no legitimate claim to it under Jewish law, arguing that preventing Palestinians from accessing their farms for security reasons renders them "desperate" for their crops, thus allowing Jews to take them. He further called for harvesting olives even in areas far from settlements, viewing it as an assertion of Jewish sovereignty.

Separately, the Wall and Settlements Resistance Commission reported 34 attacks and acts of intimidation against farmers and the olive harvest on Friday across six West Bank governorates. These incidents, carried out by both settlers and the Israeli military, resulted in at least 19 injuries, including women, the elderly, journalists, and a civil defense volunteer, with some suffering from tear gas inhalation. The attacks involved beatings, gunfire, tear gas deployment, arrests, vehicle and tree arson, crop and equipment theft, and forced displacement of farmers.