Controversial Rabbi's Ruling on Palestinian Olive Harvest Sparks Security Concerns

In his ruling, published on Friday, October 16, Rabbi Lior stated that harvesting olives from Palestinian groves is permissible and carries additional virtue, arguing that Arabs never purchased the land from the people of Israel and that it is stolen in their hands. This contradicts a previous ruling by Gush Etzion rabbis who forbade harvesting Arab-owned olives, deeming it theft.

The ruling was issued amid a tense olive harvest season, during which confrontations in Judea and Samaria have doubled compared to the first week of the previous year's season. Security officials admit that the security establishment lacks sufficient tools to manage the escalating violence. While some within the Shin Bet security agency have suggested returning to administrative detentions, the Defense Minister opposes the move. Additionally, a directive from the Prime Minister to establish a dedicated police force for Judea and Samaria has not been implemented.

Because Rabbi Lior is a civilian, any investigation falls under the jurisdiction of the Israel Police, who are currently examining whether his ruling constitutes incitement to violence or encouragement of theft. The ongoing tensions on the ground were highlighted on Friday, October 16, when masked Jewish radicals reportedly assaulted Heidi Levine, a photographer for The Washington Post, while she was covering the harvest.