Palestinian Farmers Fight for Survival Amidst Olive Harvest Assaults
In a vicious cycle of violence and intimidation, Palestinian farmers are facing unprecedented challenges as olive harvest season descends upon the West Bank. The United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) has documented 167 settler attacks between October 1 and November 10, resulting in casualties or property damage, with locals suspecting this is a mere fraction of the actual number.
As settlers continue to expand their outposts and infrastructure into new areas, Palestinian communities like Deir Ammar are finding themselves increasingly vulnerable. Moustafa Badaha's family has been on the receiving end of settler aggression, including broken fences, damaged property, and stolen farm equipment. In July, a new outpost was erected just south of his land, sparking further attacks on nearby villagers.
Deir Ammar's mayor, Ali Abu al-Kaak Badaha, describes the situation as dire: "The settlers have been attacking us for years... this year, they've cut off our access to our farms, and now they're even targeting us on the western side of the village." Settlers are using their military support to intimidate Palestinian farmers, making it impossible for them to harvest their olives.
Farmers are also facing theft and vandalism. Olives, tarps, and plastic sheeting used in the harvest are all being pilfered from their fields. "Everywhere you go for the olive harvest, the settlers find you," said Izzat, a local resident. "And they attack you."
The pattern of violence against Palestinian farmers is disturbingly consistent. According to Kai Jack, a field coordinator with Rabbis for Human Rights (RHR), the organization that accompanies Palestinian farmers as a protective presence, settlers often signal their arrival by being spotted on their phones, and shortly after, Israeli soldiers arrive to enforce military orders.
In one harrowing incident, a group of solidarity activists from RHR accompanied Deir Ammar villagers to pick olives on October 16. Within minutes, two female Israeli soldiers appeared, ordering the group to leave due to a closed military zone order – an order that did not exist at the time. However, the olive picking continued, and soon, more Israelis arrived, some in full military uniform, others masked or wearing partial fatigues.
As the situation continues to escalate, Palestinian farmers are fighting for their very livelihoods. The international community must take notice of this crisis and demand action to protect these communities from settler aggression and Israeli military complicity.
In a vicious cycle of violence and intimidation, Palestinian farmers are facing unprecedented challenges as olive harvest season descends upon the West Bank. The United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) has documented 167 settler attacks between October 1 and November 10, resulting in casualties or property damage, with locals suspecting this is a mere fraction of the actual number.
As settlers continue to expand their outposts and infrastructure into new areas, Palestinian communities like Deir Ammar are finding themselves increasingly vulnerable. Moustafa Badaha's family has been on the receiving end of settler aggression, including broken fences, damaged property, and stolen farm equipment. In July, a new outpost was erected just south of his land, sparking further attacks on nearby villagers.
Deir Ammar's mayor, Ali Abu al-Kaak Badaha, describes the situation as dire: "The settlers have been attacking us for years... this year, they've cut off our access to our farms, and now they're even targeting us on the western side of the village." Settlers are using their military support to intimidate Palestinian farmers, making it impossible for them to harvest their olives.
Farmers are also facing theft and vandalism. Olives, tarps, and plastic sheeting used in the harvest are all being pilfered from their fields. "Everywhere you go for the olive harvest, the settlers find you," said Izzat, a local resident. "And they attack you."
The pattern of violence against Palestinian farmers is disturbingly consistent. According to Kai Jack, a field coordinator with Rabbis for Human Rights (RHR), the organization that accompanies Palestinian farmers as a protective presence, settlers often signal their arrival by being spotted on their phones, and shortly after, Israeli soldiers arrive to enforce military orders.
In one harrowing incident, a group of solidarity activists from RHR accompanied Deir Ammar villagers to pick olives on October 16. Within minutes, two female Israeli soldiers appeared, ordering the group to leave due to a closed military zone order – an order that did not exist at the time. However, the olive picking continued, and soon, more Israelis arrived, some in full military uniform, others masked or wearing partial fatigues.
As the situation continues to escalate, Palestinian farmers are fighting for their very livelihoods. The international community must take notice of this crisis and demand action to protect these communities from settler aggression and Israeli military complicity.
the palestinian farmers r already struggling w/ poverty & displacement n now they're facing all this settler violence 
it's like, can't we all just get along?! 
i mean, rabbis 4 human rights r doin an amazing job accompaning these farmers but it's not enough... the int'l community needs 2 take action ASAP 
they need 2 hold israel accountable 4 their complicity in settler aggression n protect these communities from further attacks 
i'm literally shaking w/ rage rn 
this is just so heartbreakin'... you gotta feel for these poor farmers who r just tryna make a livin' off their land, but settler attacks are makin' it impossible. its like, they're usin' force to intimidate these communities into leavin', and its not just settler aggression, its the military too that's gettin involved... like what kinda world r we livin in? 
settlers are really taking advantage of the situation & its making it super hard 4 them to survive. i feel 4 them, u no? its not just about the olives, its about their land, their homes, their way of life 
gotta wonder if there's some kinda cover-up going on here...
2025 stats show 87% increase in olive harvest attacks since 2018, with Palestinian farmers facing 40+ assaults last season alone 
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. Settlers have erected over 250 outposts since 2009, displacing 40+ Palestinian families in the process 
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. It's estimated that Palestinian farmers contribute 15% of Israel's total agricultural production, yet they receive only 1% of all agricultural subsidies 
. This pattern is consistent with the fact that Israeli military orders are often enforced by settlers before UNOCHA even has time to document incidents 
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. The crisis demands urgent international attention and concrete action to protect Palestinian livelihoods 
it's like settlers just dont care about anyone but themselves, constant attacks on farmers, theyre destroying the land and the economy too, its a big mess 
ugh, settlers think they can just bully ppl into giving up their land? like, newsflash: olive trees aren't gonna cut themselves 
. Deir Ammar farmers are literally fighting for survival and it's getting worse by the day... 167 attacks in less than a month? that's some messed up stuff 
. And can we talk about how convenient it is for Israelis to just send their soldiers around like they own the place? 
. Seriously though, if the international community isn't gonna step up and help these farmers, who will? 
it's not like they're asking for much... just a chance to harvest their olives without getting beaten up or intimidated 
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. I mean, what about the times when Palestinian farmers have been involved in clashes with Israeli forces or settlers? Does that get reported on? No, it seems like only one side gets the spotlight 
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. It's just really complicated, you know? 
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. #JusticeForPalestinianFarmers #SolidarityIsKey
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. It's just a total nightmare 
. And what's even more disturbing is that settlers are basically using their phones to signal their arrival, with Israeli soldiers swooping in to enforce orders like it's no big deal 
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. And it's not just physical violence, but also vandalism and theft... it's all part of the cycle of oppression.
. And then I started thinking about how important it is for farmers to have access to their land, like, what if settlers didn't exist? 
and how it's been a staple in cafes lately. anyway, back to the news... have you guys tried that new brand of avocados they just shipped in? it's supposed to be super fresh and delicious 
i had it at this trendy cafe downtown last week and it was to die for!