Priest Reports Attacks on Olive Harvesters, Foreign Diplomats in Taybeh
Translated & summarized from Al-Shams by baba
Father Bishara Fwazli reported that an attack occurred during an olive harvest event in Taybeh, West Bank, involving local residents and foreign diplomats. A 70-year-old woman and a 12-year-old boy were assaulted, along with several foreign diplomats and a French mayor. Fwazli described the attackers as organized and believes the incident was intended to intimidate. He estimated annual losses from such attacks exceed 1.5 million shekels and warned that continued violence threatens the vital olive harvest.
The story in 6 lines · by baba
- Priest Bishara Fwazli reported attacks on olive harvesters and foreign diplomats in Taybeh.
- A 70-year-old woman and a 12-year-old boy were among those assaulted.
- Belgian and French diplomats, including a French mayor, were targeted.
- Fwazli described the attackers as organized and believes the incident was meant to intimidate.
- Annual losses from such attacks are estimated at over 1.5 million shekels.
- The attacks threaten the vital olive harvest and farmers' livelihoods.
Father Bishara Fwazli, the Latin Patriarchate priest in the West Bank town of Taybeh, east of Ramallah, reported that an attack occurred during a joint olive harvest event involving local residents and foreign diplomats. The incident took place as international solidarity activists were accompanying farmers to support them and help them access their land. Fwazli stated that the assault happened in the final fifteen minutes of the group's presence in the area, targeting several residents who were harvesting olives on the western side of town. He detailed that a seventy-year-old woman was kicked and verbally abused, and a 12-year-old boy was struck on the head with batons, requiring hospitalization and six stitches. The priest added that the attacks also affected foreign solidarity activists and diplomats, including the Belgian Consul General in Jerusalem and his deputy, along with a French delegation. He also mentioned that a French mayor participating in the event, wearing French insignia, was beaten until he fell to the ground.
Fwazli described the assailants not as mere troublemakers but as members of organized and trained groups, asserting their actions were not spontaneous. He indicated that individuals known in the area could be dealt with by official authorities. He explained that diplomats and solidarity activists attend the olive harvest season for monitoring, documentation, and practical support, noting that their presence did not prevent the attack this time, unlike previous, incident-free participations. He considered the assault on individuals with diplomatic status, whose identities and vehicles were clear, to be a deliberate act of intimidation aimed at sending a message that diplomatic presence does not guarantee protection. Fwazli expressed concern that some farmers now fear going to their land, even with diplomatic escorts, due to safety worries, which threatens their ability to harvest a crop vital to many families' livelihoods.
Fwazli emphasized that olives in Taybeh are central to the town's history and identity, serving as a primary income source through local sales and exports. He estimated annual losses for residents due to access issues and attacks related to land access to be over 1.5 million shekels, particularly impacting those who rely on olive harvesting and sales for their main income. He reiterated that the participation of diplomats and solidarity activists provides moral and practical support but does not eliminate the risks. Fwazli viewed the recent attack, occurring in the presence of diplomats, as a worrying sign of potential escalation despite previous international attention. He stressed the need for protection for residents to ensure safe access to their land and harvest, warning that continued attacks could deter more farmers from working their fields.
