Palestinian Authority Reports 482 Attacks on Farmers During Olive Harvest Season
Translated & summarized from Arab48 by baba
The Palestinian Commission for Detaching the Wall and Settlements documented 482 attacks by Israeli settlers and military forces against Palestinian farmers during the October olive harvest season across the West Bank. These incidents, which included detentions, assaults, theft, and land confiscation, aimed to disrupt agricultural livelihoods. The commission called for international intervention to protect farmers and hold perpetrators accountable, warning of long-term economic and social impacts.
The story in 5 lines · by baba
- Palestinian Authority documented 482 attacks on farmers by settlers and military during October's olive harvest.
- Attacks occurred across nine West Bank governorates, restricting farmers' access to their lands.
- Incidents included detentions, assaults, crop theft, land bulldozing, and military access restrictions.
- The commission stated attacks systematically target agricultural livelihoods and conditions.
- Palestinian Authority urged international intervention to protect farmers and ensure accountability.
The Palestinian Commission for Detaching the Wall and Settlements reported 482 attacks by Israeli settlers and the military against Palestinian farmers since the start of the olive harvest season in October. The commission stated that these incidents occurred across nine governorates in the occupied West Bank, with 16 attacks recorded on a single Sunday.
The commission detailed that settler aggressions were compounded by Israeli military actions, which restricted farmers' access to their lands and olive groves. The Sunday attacks included the detention of farmers, physical assaults, theft of crops and equipment, land bulldozing, and military restrictions on accessing fields.
According to the commission, these attacks are part of a systematic effort to target the agricultural season and the livelihoods of Palestinian families. The commission noted a shift from targeting farmers during harvest to undermining the conditions necessary for agricultural activity itself, through crop and equipment confiscation, land destruction, road closures, and ongoing threats.
The commission highlighted that detaining farmers within their lands and transferring them to settlements, while the military protects settlers, demonstrates a coordinated use of colonial violence and military measures to control land and impede Palestinian agricultural investment. It warned that continued practices could lead to long-term exclusion from agricultural lands, with significant economic and social consequences for Palestinian families.
The commission urged the international community to intervene to halt these attacks, ensure farmer protection, and hold perpetrators accountable. The olive harvest is a crucial agricultural season in the West Bank, providing a primary income source for thousands of families, particularly in villages near settlements and outposts. Palestinian farmers have increasingly reported settler attacks and access denial to lands near settlements or behind military barriers in recent years. In June, 14 UN rapporteurs warned of a sharp rise in settler violence, deeming it an existential threat to Palestinian communities.
