Violence Threatens Olive Harvest in West Bank
(MENAFN) Three Palestinian farmers were wounded on Saturday after being assaulted by illegal Israeli settlers in the southern region of Nablus, occupied West Bank, a news agency reported.
In the Wadi al-Hajj Issa area of Aqraba, the settlers, armed with sticks and accompanied by dogs, attacked olive pickers, leaving three injured and forcing farmers to abandon their lands.
Nearby, in the town of Duma, Israeli military personnel barred Palestinians from reaching their olive groves, according to Suleiman Dawabsha, the village council head.
He noted that settlers have frequently targeted local farmers, seizing olives, damaging trees, and allowing livestock to graze on private property.
The Colonization and Wall Resistance Commission stated that since Israel began its military operations in Gaza in October 2023, illegal settlers have conducted over 7,000 attacks against Palestinians and their property in the West Bank.
This includes 158 assaults on olive pickers so far this month.
Muayyad Shaaban, the commission’s leader, commented in a statement on Oct. 21 that this year’s olive harvest has been “the hardest in decades,” attributing the difficulties to widespread Israeli restrictions that classify farmlands as “closed military zones.”
Olive harvesting is a critical source of livelihood for many Palestinian families. The Agriculture Ministry reported that this year’s production is among the lowest in decades, with yields estimated at just 15% of the usual average.
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