According to Palestinian, Israeli "human rights" organizations, and the United Nations, for decades Jewish settlers have intimidated Palestinians who are harvesting olives in the occupied West Bank. However, this year not only has the violence increased sharply, but theft is also common.
Palestinian Ahmed Salem couldn’t help but cry when he remembered how Israeli settlers beat his beloved olive trees and stole the olives. He said that if he tried to intervene, he feared he would be attacked.
This 50-year-old Palestinian told Reuters about an incident that occurred about two weeks ago near his village of Luban Al-Garbie: Settlers filled olives into bags in Salem, then drove them to a nearby Israeli settlement stronghold where they were processed into olive oil.
If something belonging to you is stolen, and you are powerless to stop it, how would you feel? He asked.
These attacks have escalated before Israel’s next elections. Polls show that Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and his pro-settlers coalition may lose to opponents who are more critical of settler violence.
Since 2022, under the leadership of Netanyahu's government, Israel has established hundreds of small settlement outposts. The military has also increasingly restricted Palestinians’ access to nearby areas, including many olive groves.
"This has created a situation: In many cases, in many areas, especially near settlement points and forward operating bases, Palestinians have been unable to enter the olive groves to harvest them," said Yitzchak Stern, Director of Human Rights at the Israel “Human Rights” Organization, "Yaeshidin". "However, settlers are free to come and go, and they have done so."
Even if Palestinians can reach their olive trees, it is not without risks. Yashdin reported on Wednesday that there were 125 physical attacks against Palestinian olive pickers and 168 cases of crop thefts in the 24 days since the harvest season began. In at least a quarter of these cases, the Israeli military was present.
An Israeli military official stated that they take ‘violence, criminal activities, and attempts to undermine security very seriously’. The official did not mention settlers, nor did he comment on reports of olive tree thefts occurring in the presence of Israeli troops. The Israeli forces also used excavators to uproot trees under the pretext of preventing Palestinian attacks.
At the beginning of the olive harvest season, settlers posted messages on social media, calling on Israelis to harvest olives in the West Bank and send them to Avicha Farm's pressing facilities. A message in a settler’s Telegram group read: "High-quality olive oil, and a stronger control by Jews over our vast lands!" "Either ours or our enemies'!"
Avi Chai Farm's processing facilities promote "high-quality products produced at Avi Chai Farm" through a website operated by the farm association. The price of olive oil is approximately $20 per bottle. Reuters reported that this settlement group received significant financial support from the Israeli government, which stated the purpose was to "promote peace."
Luban Al-Gharbi's villagers and other Palestinians who have lost their land due to settlers' expansion said that harvesting olives from the olive groves on confiscated Palestinian land constitutes theft.
United Nations agencies and most countries believe that, according to international law regarding military occupation, it is illegal for Israel to establish settlements on land occupied during the war. Israel denies this claim, arguing that the territory is disputed rather than occupied.
