Palestinian Farmers Under Siege: Olive Harvest Season Cut Short by Settler Violence
The usually bountiful olive harvest season in the West Bank has been brought to a grinding halt due to settler violence, leaving Palestinian farmers on edge. The Israeli-occupied territory, which is home to 110,000 farmers who directly profit from the olive harvest, has become increasingly hostile towards Palestinians.
A recent surge in settler attacks on olive groves has left thousands of trees and saplings damaged, with over 3,000 casualties reported, including 112 Palestinians injured by settlers. The violence has also resulted in the destruction of around 70% of the town's olives, leaving farmers unable to access their land without risking a potentially fatal clash.
"The economic impact is very bad for everybody, but there is more than that...the olive tree for Palestinians is not just a tree. It is a source of life, a source of peace," said Abbas Milhem, director of the Palestinian Farmers' Union (PFU). "We have been cultivating olive trees in Palestine for thousands of years. It is part of our culture and our existence."
The situation is being exacerbated by Israeli restrictions on mobility, with hundreds of barriers placed across key access roads used by Palestinian communities, cutting off homes, schools, fields, orchards, and clinics for hours or days without warning.
The West Bank's economy has been in a state of crisis since 1967, with the Israeli occupation exacerbating the situation. The country's ruling coalition, which includes far-right ministers, is pushing ahead with a bill that would apply Israeli law to the West Bank, a move tantamount to annexation.
As a result, Palestinian farmers have few alternative sources of income, and many are struggling to make ends meet. "This is the worst I have ever known. May God protect us from what is coming," said Mohammed Abdul Hadi, a 68-year-old retired teacher in As-Sawiya whose monthly pension has not been paid in full by the PA since the war in Gaza began two years ago.
The situation is being fueled by Israeli officials' claims of security threats from Palestinian armed groups. However, according to the UN, more than 1,000 Palestinians have been killed in the West Bank during the same period as 59 Israelis, highlighting the disproportionate impact on civilians.
As the olive harvest season continues to be disrupted, Palestinian farmers are growing increasingly desperate. "Harvest should be a time of joy and celebration," said Milhem. "This year, we are just worrying about how many will be killed and who they will be."
The usually bountiful olive harvest season in the West Bank has been brought to a grinding halt due to settler violence, leaving Palestinian farmers on edge. The Israeli-occupied territory, which is home to 110,000 farmers who directly profit from the olive harvest, has become increasingly hostile towards Palestinians.
A recent surge in settler attacks on olive groves has left thousands of trees and saplings damaged, with over 3,000 casualties reported, including 112 Palestinians injured by settlers. The violence has also resulted in the destruction of around 70% of the town's olives, leaving farmers unable to access their land without risking a potentially fatal clash.
"The economic impact is very bad for everybody, but there is more than that...the olive tree for Palestinians is not just a tree. It is a source of life, a source of peace," said Abbas Milhem, director of the Palestinian Farmers' Union (PFU). "We have been cultivating olive trees in Palestine for thousands of years. It is part of our culture and our existence."
The situation is being exacerbated by Israeli restrictions on mobility, with hundreds of barriers placed across key access roads used by Palestinian communities, cutting off homes, schools, fields, orchards, and clinics for hours or days without warning.
The West Bank's economy has been in a state of crisis since 1967, with the Israeli occupation exacerbating the situation. The country's ruling coalition, which includes far-right ministers, is pushing ahead with a bill that would apply Israeli law to the West Bank, a move tantamount to annexation.
As a result, Palestinian farmers have few alternative sources of income, and many are struggling to make ends meet. "This is the worst I have ever known. May God protect us from what is coming," said Mohammed Abdul Hadi, a 68-year-old retired teacher in As-Sawiya whose monthly pension has not been paid in full by the PA since the war in Gaza began two years ago.
The situation is being fueled by Israeli officials' claims of security threats from Palestinian armed groups. However, according to the UN, more than 1,000 Palestinians have been killed in the West Bank during the same period as 59 Israelis, highlighting the disproportionate impact on civilians.
As the olive harvest season continues to be disrupted, Palestinian farmers are growing increasingly desperate. "Harvest should be a time of joy and celebration," said Milhem. "This year, we are just worrying about how many will be killed and who they will be."
I mean, have you seen those Israeli settlers' haircuts? They're like the hipsters of Palestine! All that buzz cut nonsense... anyway, back to the olive harvest. It's a shame really, I love olives in hummus 
. But seriously, can't they just get along? I heard it's not like Palestinians are asking for much, just some land and a few trees 
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"We have been cultivating olive trees in Palestine for thousands of years"... that's just dedication, bro. The fact that the economy has been in crisis since 1967 is no excuse for the current situation.
... like a really bad Netflix show or something 
. But in all seriousness, can we just talk about how messed up this whole situation is? It's like the world's most complicated salad 
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settler violence is totally unacceptable and has to stop ASAP it's like they're being held back by the system and no one's doing anything about it 
plus the fact that hundreds of barriers are cuttin off homes, schools, fields, orchards, and clinics for hours or days without warning is just ridiculous 
and now they're talkin bout applyin israeli law to the west bank which is basically annexation and would further devastate their lives 
we need to be supportin these farmers and the whole palestinian community instead of just focusin on some security threats 
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the whole olive harvest season getting messed up due to settler violence is literally heartbreakin' 
and then to have all this stress and uncertainty from the Israeli gov't restricting their mobility and not payin' pensions on time 
i feel so bad for these farmers and the whole Palestinian community 
it's like they're bein' left high and dry, with no way out 
how many more trees gotta be destroyed before someone does something about this?!
. I feel for these farmers who are struggling to make ends meet. Their livelihoods depend on the harvest, and now it's all being disrupted by violence and bureaucratic red tape 
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. It's not just about the farmers, either; it's about the entire ecosystem of the West Bank. This olive harvest season was supposed to be a time of renewal and growth - instead, it's a constant fight for survival.