Foreign Activists Aid West Bank Palestinians Against Settler Violence

Approximately 800 foreign activists and solidarity supporters, including diplomats, participated in the Palestinian "Faz'a" campaign to assist farmers in the occupied West Bank against settler violence. Despite facing arrests and deportations, these individuals aimed to support Palestinian farmers and communities targeted by settlers. Campaign coordinator Mohammed Matar stated that Israel arrested 11 foreign solidarity activists and deported 12 others during their participation in the campaign, which began a month and a half prior.

Matar explained that Israeli authorities arrested 11 activists in the Al-Bawair area of the Masafer Yatta community in the Hebron Governorate, and deported 12 activists from the village of Kafr Ni'ma, west of Ramallah. The arrested individuals in Masafer Yatta held Italian, German, American, and Hungarian nationalities, while the deported group from Kafr Ni'ma included citizens from the United States, Canada, Germany, and Italy. Matar also noted that Israeli actions affected Italian journalists and led to the arrest of an unspecified number of Palestinian farmers and local community members.

The "Faz'a" campaign, a voluntary Palestinian initiative, draws international solidarity supporters to aid targeted farmers and communities in the West Bank. Launched on September 28 and concluding at the end of November, the campaign's objectives include reaching agricultural lands and supporting Palestinian farmers against settler "terrorism." Matar reported that the campaign achieved about 70% of its strategic goal despite obstacles like Israeli military actions and settler violence. Challenges also included farmers' fear of accessing their land, movement restrictions within the West Bank, and difficulties in transporting volunteers.

Matar emphasized that the presence of foreign activists can sometimes deter attacks but does not offer permanent protection. He described their role as a form of "popular diplomacy," where activists share their experiences upon returning home, helping to convey the reality of the situation in the Palestinian territories to international audiences. He added that targeting activists and journalists aims to suppress the Palestinian community and hinder the transmission of the Palestinian narrative abroad, as their presence allows for the documentation and reporting of Israeli aggressions.

These statements come amid a reported surge in settler violence against Palestinians and their property in the West Bank, particularly during the olive harvest season. The Palestinian Wall and Settlement Resistance Commission reported 3,133 attacks by the Israeli military and settlers in October, a 52.8% increase from the previous month. Settler attacks alone rose by 111.6% in October compared to September, with the majority concentrated in the Ramallah, Nablus, and Hebron governorates. These attacks affected 5,890 trees, including 4,498 olive trees.