West Bank Olive Harvest Attacked 674 Times in 37 Days
Translated & summarized from Arab48 by baba
A Palestinian commission documented 674 attacks on olive trees and farmers in the West Bank between October 1 and November 6, 2026, carried out by settlers and Israeli soldiers. The attacks, which included intimidation, theft, and physical assault, significantly increased compared to previous years, with Nablus, Ramallah, and Salfit being the most affected areas. The commission reported damage to nearly 3,000 olive trees and called for international intervention to protect farmers.
The story in 6 lines · by baba
- 674 attacks on West Bank olive farmers and trees were documented between Oct 1 and Nov 6, 2026.
- Settlers committed 520 attacks, while Israeli soldiers were responsible for 154 incidents.
- Nablus, Ramallah, and Salfit governorates suffered the most, with 489 combined attacks.
- Attacks included intimidation, theft of fruit and equipment, and physical assaults.
- Olive tree damage reached nearly 3,000, with a significant year-over-year increase in incidents.
- A Palestinian commission called for international intervention to protect farmers.
A Palestinian group documented 674 attacks against olive trees and farmers in the West Bank, including East Jerusalem, between October 1 and November 6, 2026. The group, the Commission to Combat the Wall and Settlements, reported that settler gangs carried out 520 of these attacks, while Israeli occupation soldiers were responsible for 154. This indicates a widespread targeting of the olive harvest and the livelihoods of farming families, turning access to olive fields into a daily confrontation with violence and military restrictions.
The Nablus governorate recorded the highest number of attacks with 230, followed by Ramallah and Al-Bireh with 130, and Salfit with 129. These three governorates accounted for approximately 72.6% of the total incidents. Other areas affected included Hebron with 87 attacks, Jenin with 41, Bethlehem with 30, Qalqilya with 24, and Jerusalem with 3.
The attacks included intimidation, physical assault, and restricting farmers' movement or access to their land. Incidents also involved arrests, live fire, tear gas, pepper spray, and assaults on solidarity activists and journalists. One Palestinian reportedly died from injuries sustained during an olive harvest when attacked by settlers.
Damage to trees and equipment was also reported, with 91 instances of olive fruit theft, 37 cases of equipment theft or confiscation, 20 instances of tree vandalism, and 18 cases of uprooting. Additionally, agricultural lands and property were set on fire, and fields were bulldozed. Approximately 2,974 olive trees were confirmed damaged, with numbers for other incidents unavailable.
The commission noted a significant increase in attacks compared to previous years, with 333 incidents in 2023, 407 in 2024, and over 441 in 2025. The 2026 figure represents a 102% increase from 2023 and a 66% increase from 2024, despite covering a shorter period. This trend suggests a shift from isolated incidents to organized pressure on Palestinian agricultural activities.
The commission highlighted that the most serious aspect is the transition from brief attacks to prolonged blockades and extended settler presence in and around agricultural lands. This includes repeated denial of access, releasing livestock into fields, theft of produce and equipment, and the establishment of settler structures. The commission called for effective international intervention to protect farmers and ensure their safe access to fields, as well as to hold perpetrators accountable.
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