olive harvest

Armed Israeli settlers harass Palestinian farmers and activists during the olive harvest in the village of Jibya, occupied West Bank, October 28, 2022. (Anne Paq/Activestills)

West Bank olive harvest ‘more dangerous than ever’ under shadow of war

A surge of Israeli settler violence and land seizures is preventing Palestinian families from accessing their olive trees. Those who try risk being killed.

By Hana Elias November 15, 2023

Israeli police officers deny Palestinians access to olive trees in Wadi Rababa, East Jerusalem, October 7, 2022. (Oren Ziv)

Why are Israeli soldiers harvesting Palestinians’ olive groves?

Soldiers were seen picking the trees after receiving permission from a settler group. When Palestinians went to harvest the next day, police prevented them.

By Oren Ziv and Meron Rapoport October 19, 2022

Israeli soldiers hold down prominent Palestinian activist Mohammad Khatib during the olive harvest near a settlement outpost established on Palestinian land in the Salfit area of the West Bank, October 11, 2021. (Matan Golan)

Israeli soldiers beat, arrest Palestinian activist during olive harvest

Mohammed Khatib was brutally arrested with two left-wing Israelis while trying to protect Palestinian farmers from settler and army violence.

By Oren Ziv October 12, 2021

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Israelis swim in a spring belonging to the destroyed Palestinian village of Walajeh, near Jerusalem. (Anne Paq/Activestills.org)

How one Palestinian spring became a leisure spot for Israelis only

The spring that once belonged to the Palestinian village of Walajeh is now off limits to its residents. As of last week, it is open to Israeli settlers alone.

By Aviv Tatarsky October 22, 2019

Rabbi Moshe Yehudai is evacuated from the village of Burin during an olive harvest after being attacked by Israeli settlers from the nearby settlement of Yitzhar. (Rabbis for Human Rights)

Settlers attack olive harvesters, Israeli volunteers in West Bank village

Masked settlers uproot olive trees, set groves ablaze, and beat several Israeli volunteers with stones and metal rods in the West Bank village of Burin. Masked men from the settlement of Yitzhar wielding metal rods and stones attacked volunteers from Rabbis for Human Rights, a human rights organization based in Israel, while they were picking…

By Oren Ziv October 16, 2019

Illustrative photo of an Israeli settler attacking a group of Palestinian olive harvesters. (Olivier Fitoussi/Flash90)

The Israeli activists helping protect the Palestinian olive harvest

For the past decade and a half, dozens of left-wing Israeli activists have come together to accompany Palestinians to their groves during the olive harvest. Despite recurring settler violence, the situation has improved over the years. It had become like the opening ceremony of the olive harvest season: last Wednesday, Israeli settlers uprooted 40 olive trees in Turmusaya, a small…

By Orly Noy October 7, 2018

An Israeli settler, masked with an Israeli flag, and Palestinian boys throw stones during clashes at an olive harvest close near Nablus, Wednesday 25, 2006. (Olivier Fitoussi/Flash90)

When the IDF protects Palestinians for the sake of propaganda

The army’s new hasbara video is meant to convince the English-speaking world that it protects Palestinians from settlers during the olive harvest, as if the latter were some kind of untamable beasts. With the beginning of the olive harvest, the IDF has decided to wish all Palestinians a bountiful and safe season! A new video…

By Samah Salaime October 26, 2017

Palestinian farmers from the West Bank village of Qaryut assess the damage done to their olive trees the day before by Israeli settlers, October 20, 2013. Officials from the Palestinian Ministry of Agriculture on the scene counted 60 trees damaged belonging to 12 different farmers. (photo: Ryan Rodrick Beiler/Activestills.org)

Settler violence on the rise as olive harvest begins in West Bank

Since the beginning of the olive harvest two weeks ago, Israeli human rights organizations have documented 10 cases of settler violence and theft against Palestinians and their property. For now, it seems like the police are doing their job. The olive harvest season, which began two weeks ago across Israel-Palestine, is one of the most…

By Orly Noy October 20, 2017

A girl from the West Bank town of Awarta harvests her family's olives in the midst of frequent patrols by the Israeli military, October 13, 2012. Because the Israeli settlement Itamar lies on a neaby hilltop, the residents of Awarta are forced to coordinate permission to harvest their olives from Israeli authorities.

Settler violence and IDF collusion deny Palestinians the fruits of their harvest

Stolen fruit, destroyed trees and harassment by the army and settlers wreak havoc with the yearly olive harvest, an essential source of subsistence for West Bank Palestinians. By Yossi Gurvitz, for Yesh Din “The fruit of thy land, and all thy labours, shall a nation which thou knowest not eat up” (Deuteronomy 28:33) “I’ve been…

By +972 Magazine December 9, 2016

Illustrative photo of the Palestinian olive harvest. (Ahmad Al-Bazz/Activestills.org)

WATCH: Activism and spirituality in the Palestinian olive harvest

At the height of the olive harvest this year, the Palestinian residents of Jayyous were assisted by volunteers from Israel and abroad. The activists came to the West Bank to combine activism and spirituality. Beyond the contribution of their manual labor, however, their very presence also helps reduce and prevent friction with the Israeli army…

By Social TV November 8, 2016

Palestinian farmers clash with Israeli settlers after they set fire to Palestinian agricultural fields in Burin village near Nablus, October 3, 2015. (Ahmad Al-Bazz/Activestills.org)

In the West Bank, even calling the fire dept. has an ethnic dimension

How does the IDF deal with brush fire? Depends whether it threatens Jewish or Palestinian property. By Yossi Gurvitz, written for Yesh Din In the beginning of May 2016, S., a resident of the West Bank village of Sur, returned to his village and immediately noticed heavy smoke billowing from his land. Normally in such…

By +972 Magazine September 10, 2016

Peace Now at the Rabin memorial rally in Rabin Square, Tel Aviv, November 1, 2014. (photo: Oren Rozen/CC BY-SA 3.0)

Meet the Israeli and Palestinian groups waging peace

Although the ongoing political stalemate has continued for years and peace seems like nothing more than a fantasy, joint Israeli and Palestinian initiatives seeking to put an end to the occupation and promote a political settlement remain undeterred.

By Social TV November 21, 2015

A woman from the West Bank village Susya is seen near olive trees that were cut down by settlers, south Hebron Hills, West Bank, February 22, 2011. (Oren Ziv/Activestills.org)

Why can’t Palestinians harvest olives in peace?

Data shows that the police simply cannot prevent Israeli felons from ruining the yearly Palestinian olive harvest. By Yesh Din, written by Yossi Gurvitz Yesh Din recently published our yearly datasheet, which tracks the lack in law enforcement in the West Bank when it comes to Israeli civilians harming Palestinians and damaging their property. The 2015…

By +972 Magazine November 12, 2015