Husan:Bethlehem Israeli forces have detained Brad Lander, a Democratic US congressional nominee, along with numerous activists and Palestinian farmers during the olive harvest in the occupied West Bank. The detainment took place on Wednesday in the town of Husan, located west of Bethlehem.

According to Anadolu Agency – English, Palestinian activist Amira Muslim reported that 45 foreign activists, including Lander, and 25 Israeli activists were held by Israeli authorities while engaged in olive harvesting activities. The detainees were subsequently placed on buses and transferred to a nearby settlement, though their final destination and current status remain unclear.

The detained group included members of "T'ruah The Rabbinic Call for Human Rights," a Jewish organization based in New York City. Lander confirmed his detention via a post on the social media platform X, stating he was detained alongside a group of rabbis and volunteers while harvesting olives near Nehalim in the West Bank. He emphasized that the activity of olive harvesting is not a crime under any known laws and criticized the occupation as a violation of international law.

The olive harvest season in the West Bank is often marked by increased tensions and attacks by Israeli occupiers against Palestinians. Such incidents reportedly include assaults on farmers, blocking access to land, theft of crops, and damage to trees. Official Palestinian statistics estimate that approximately 750,000 Israeli occupiers reside in the West Bank, including East Jerusalem, across 194 settlements and around 400 outposts.