259 Attacks Mar Olive Harvest as Settlers and Forces Target Farmers
Occupied Jerusalem –
Palestinian human rights organizations have documented 259 attacks by Israeli forces and settlers against Palestinian farmers in Jerusalem and the West Bank during this year’s olive harvest season, marking an unprecedented level of both scale and intensity.
The attacks include tree uprooting, crop theft, field burnings, and preventing access to lands, particularly those behind the separation barrier or near settlements, along with direct physical assaults on farmers themselves.
In areas near Jerusalem, especially Hizma, Anata, and Al-Eizariya, repeated incidents were reported, often carried out by settlers under military protection.
The olive harvest is a key symbol of Palestinian resilience, representing both a spiritual and economic connection to the land. Yet, increasingly, it has become a site of confrontation, aimed at undermining Palestinian attachment to their territories.
Researchers note that the escalation reflects an Israeli policy designed to empty agricultural lands of their Palestinian owners, encouraging forced displacement and facilitating settlement expansion.
In response, farmers organized volunteer campaigns to protect their lands, emphasizing that “the olive tree is not just a tree—it is witness to our history and our steadfastness.”
These attacks cannot be separated from the broader political context in Jerusalem, where field violence coincides with settlement expansion, excavations, and Judaization policies, making land, heritage, and identity all targets of a single strategy: consolidating full Israeli control over the city and its surroundings.
