Senior Rabbi Rules It Permissible to Harm Palestinians Harvesting Olives
Translated & summarized from N12 by baba
A senior Religious Zionist rabbi, Dov Lior, issued a ruling permitting harm to Palestinians harvesting olives, sparking condemnation and calls for investigation. This ruling coincides with a sharp rise in clashes in the West Bank during the olive harvest season. Meanwhile, a Washington Post photographer, Heidi Levine, was assaulted by masked Jewish individuals while covering Palestinian olive harvesting, with security forces admitting to a lack of adequate tools to manage such escalating violence.
The story in 5 lines · by baba
- Senior Rabbi Dov Lior ruled it permissible to harm Palestinians harvesting olives.
- West Bank clashes have doubled during the olive harvest season.
- The IDF recommended investigating Rabbi Lior for incitement.
- A Washington Post photographer was attacked by masked Jewish assailants.
- Security officials admit insufficient tools to handle escalating violence.
A senior rabbi in the Religious Zionist movement, Dov Lior, has issued a religious ruling stating that it is permissible to harm Palestinians harvesting olives, claiming the land is stolen from the Jewish people. Lior wrote in his ruling, "Harvesting olives in the Holy Land is completely permissible and has an extra merit." This comes as clashes in the West Bank have significantly increased with the start of the olive harvest season, with incidents doubling compared to the same period last year. The IDF has recommended an investigation into Rabbi Lior for incitement, while police are examining if his ruling constitutes instigation. Security officials admit that the security apparatus lacks sufficient tools to handle these events, with proposals for administrative detention being rejected by the Defense Minister. Furthermore, a directive from the Prime Minister to establish a dedicated police force for the West Bank has not been implemented.
In a separate incident, a photographer for The Washington Post, Heidi Levine, was attacked by masked Jewish assailants while covering Palestinian olive harvesting near Ramallah. Levine reported being beaten, robbed, and having her equipment stolen. She described the attack as brutal, stating she was kicked and hit despite trying to protect her camera. Videos circulating online show dozens of masked settlers throwing stones at Palestinian harvesters and foreign press crews. The IDF stated that dozens of Jewish rioters descended from an illegal outpost towards the village of Abu Falah, leading to stone-throwing between Palestinians and Jews. In another incident in Turmus Ayya, Jewish rioters set fire to Palestinian vehicles. No suspects were arrested in either incident.
Mentioned
