Nablus:Ramallah Israeli forces and illegal settlers executed 23 attacks and violations against Palestinian farmers, their lands, and solidarity activists across seven governorates in the occupied West Bank within a 12-hour period on Wednesday, according to a Palestinian commission.
According to Anadolu Agency – English, the Wall and Settlement Resistance Commission reported that these incidents were recorded between 6 a.m. and 6 p.m. local time (0300-1500 GMT), during the ongoing olive harvest season.
The commission detailed that 10 incidents occurred in Nablus, six in Ramallah and Al-Bireh, two each in Salfit and Hebron, and one each in Qalqilya, Jenin, and Bethlehem. The violations included shootings, physical assaults, arrests, prevention of olive harvesting, theft of crops and equipment, and the destruction of agricultural land.
A notable incident involved a Palestinian farmer who was shot in the hand while harvesting olives in the village of Osarin, Nablus governorate. Additionally, a farmer experienced severe breathing difficulties due to pepper spray in Qarawat Bani Hassan, Salfit governorate.
In Bethlehem's Nahalin town, Israeli forces reportedly attacked farmers and solidarity activists, arresting an elderly woman and several activists, including Brad Lander, a Democratic candidate for the US Congress. The forces also confiscated harvested olives during the incident.
Furthermore, the commission noted the arrest of a Russian activist in Taybeh and a Palestinian young man in Kafr ad-Dik as they participated in olive harvesting activities.
In Nablus, illegal settlers set fire to agricultural land and Israeli bulldozers leveled olive-planted areas. In Beit Furik, settlers threw harvested olives onto the ground, seizing the crops at gunpoint and forcing families from their fields. Similar theft and expulsions occurred in other areas, including Qaryut, Awarta, and Tell.
In Ramallah and Al-Bireh, farmers were barred from accessing lands, and journalists and commission staff were expelled from agricultural areas declared as closed military zones. In Hebron, armed settlers opened fire at olive pickers, while in Qalqilya, olive trees were cut down.
The commission highlighted the broader impact of these actions, noting the struggle Palestinian farmers face in accessing their lands due to direct attacks, military closures, arrests, and crop confiscations. It emphasized the importance of ensuring safe access to farmland and holding perpetrators accountable, as the olive harvest provides a crucial income source for thousands of Palestinian families.