In West Bank, Palestinian Families Harvest Olives As Israeli Settlers Prowl The Hills

Palestinian farmers harvesting olives across the occupied West Bank faced a wave of reported settler attacks on Friday, with incidents involving physical assaults, gunfire, tear gas and the burning of vehicles and trees. The Palestinian Colonization and Wall Resistance Commission documented 34 attacks that day across six governorates, leaving at least 19 Palestinians injured, according to figures reported by Palestinian state news agency.

The violence continued over the weekend. On Saturday, diplomats visiting near Taybeh were attacked by Israeli rioters, an incident the Israel Defence Forces (IDF) condemned and said it was investigating. On Sunday, a landowner in Kisan, southeast of Bethlehem, reported that 120 olive trees had been cut down, while farmers in Idhna were reportedly prevented from harvesting.

The incidents have renewed concern over the safety of Palestinian farmers during a season central to rural livelihoods. Assaults, crop theft and restrictions on access can leave families without income while damaging trees and agricultural land they may depend on for years.

Why Is The Harvest A Flashpoint?

Olive cultivation supports Palestinian farming households across the West Bank. UN figures suggested nearly half of cultivated Palestinian agricultural land in the territory is planted with about 10 million olive trees. An estimated 80,000 to 100,000 families rely on olive oil as a primary or secondary source of income.

The harvest also carries cultural significance. The United Nations has described olive trees as central to Palestinian history, culture, economy and identity. Groves often pass between generations, linking family livelihoods to land cultivated over decades.

The consequences of violence therefore extend beyond a single day’s harvest. Stolen olives mean immediate lost earnings; damaged equipment raises the cost of returning to the groves; and cutting down trees can undermine future income. Preventing farmers from reaching their land can also disrupt the maintenance and cultivation needed to sustain a harvest.

The Palestinian Ministry of Agriculture’s 2026 campaign has focused on helping farmers reach their groves, gather crops and protect agricultural livelihoods. But the latest reports show that preparing for the season does not guarantee that farmers can work safely.

Where Are Attacks Being Reported?

The reports cover several parts of the West Bank rather than a single village. According to the commission’s preliminary tally for Friday, 15 attacks were recorded in Ramallah and al-Bireh, 13 in Nablus, two each in Salfit and Jenin, and one each in Tulkarm and Hebron.

In Abu Falah, Burqa and Turmus Ayya, Palestinian sources reported assaults and damage to vehicles and olive trees. State news agency also reported that a foreign journalist was injured during an attack on Friday. In Shufa, near Tulkarm, Israeli forces were reported to have detained farmers and seized harvested olives and personal belongings.

On Saturday, Palestinian reports described farmers being forced to leave their land near Nablus and olives and harvesting equipment being stolen near al-Lubban ash-Sharqiya. On Sunday, a landowner in Kisan reported that 120 trees had been cut down on his 10-dunam plot. Further obstruction of harvesting was reported in Idhna and Umm Safa.

How Do Access Restrictions Work?

For some farmers, the difficulty begins before they reach their groves. Checkpoints, road closures, the separation barrier and restrictions imposed by Israeli military authorities can prevent or delay access to agricultural land.

OCHA’s April 2026 fact sheet documented 925 movement obstacles across the West Bank, including East Jerusalem, as of December 2025. At least 20% of the documented closures blocked access to agricultural land. OCHA also said 98 Palestinian communities across nine governorates were required to obtain prior coordination to reach farmland on the outskirts of Israeli settlements.

The barrier’s gate-and-permit system creates additional problems for farmers whose land lies on the other side. In some areas, access depends on military coordination, while farmers elsewhere face road closures or are told to leave their groves.

These restrictions are distinct from settler attacks, but their effects can compound one another. A farmer may struggle to obtain access and then face intimidation or theft after reaching the land. Delays during a limited harvesting window can leave crops uncollected and reduce a family’s earnings.

Is This A Seasonal Pattern?

OCHA has repeatedly documented settler violence during the olive harvest. Between October and November 2025, it recorded 178 olive-harvest-related settler attacks resulting in casualties or property damage across 88 Palestinian communities. That was below the 213 incidents recorded in the corresponding period in 2024, but well above the 30 to 60 attacks recorded annually during the same period before 2023.

OCHA also reported that more than 6,000 olive trees and saplings were vandalised in 2025, the highest level in six years. Its assessment ahead of the 2026 harvest identified restricted access, crop theft, damage to trees and agricultural infrastructure, and rising farming costs as continuing concerns.

The pattern reflects the risks farmers face when they return to groves, including land near settlements and outposts. The harvest concentrates agricultural work into a period when access restrictions and intimidation can disrupt an entire season’s income.

What Are Authorities Doing?

The Palestinian Ministry of Agriculture began preparations for the 2026 harvest in September, coordinating with agricultural directorates, local committees and other institutions to assist farmers and identify areas requiring support.

The ministry has also reported distributing harvesting equipment, including 60 electric harvesters and supplies for farmers in four villages, and 70 mechanical harvesters across 10 higher-risk locations in Tulkarm. These measures can help farmers gather olives more efficiently, but they do not address the security risks or guarantee access to land.

The IDF’s response has focused on the separate assault on diplomats near Taybeh on Saturday. It condemned the incident and said police and forensic investigators would collect evidence and statements as part of an investigation. The military said an initial review indicated its forces were not at the site when the attack occurred, and noted that the diplomatic visit had not been coordinated with it.

That statement should not be treated as a response to the separate reports of attacks on farmers across the West Bank. The reporting available for this story does not include a direct response from the specific settlers accused in those incidents or from a named settler organisation.

The attack on diplomats prompted further international condemnation. The Palestinian Foreign Ministry called for accountability, while Belgian Foreign Minister Maxime Prévot said Belgium would continue pushing for European Union sanctions against those responsible for settler violence and their supporters. France also called for the arrest of settlers responsible for the Taybeh assault, according to state news agency.

The UK and EU have separately opposed settlement expansion and called for Palestinians to be protected from violence. Such statements establish their stated positions, but their practical effect depends on enforcement, investigations and measures that allow farmers to work safely.

What Does International Law Say?

UN Security Council Resolution 2334 states that Israeli settlements in the occupied Palestinian territory, including East Jerusalem, have no legal validity and constitute a flagrant violation under international law. Article 49(6) of the Fourth Geneva Convention prohibits an occupying power from transferring parts of its own civilian population into the territory it occupies.

In its July 2024 advisory opinion, the International Court of Justice found Israel’s continued presence in the occupied Palestinian territory unlawful and said Israel must immediately cease all new settlement activity. Israel disputes the international legal characterisation of its settlements.

The legal framework also concerns the protection of civilians and their property. As the occupying power, Israel has obligations towards the civilian population in the territory. The UN and other international actors have called for Palestinian farmers to be protected and for allegations of violence to be investigated.

The latest incidents raise questions about how those obligations are being met in practice: whether farmers can access their land, whether their property is protected and whether those responsible for attacks are held accountable.

What Happens To Families?

For families dependent on olive cultivation, the losses can accumulate. An interrupted harvest means lost produce and income; stolen equipment increases the cost of returning to the land; and destroyed trees can reduce yields for years. Restrictions that prevent access may compound these effects even where no physical attack takes place.

The Palestinian agriculture campaign can help farmers with equipment and coordination, but it cannot by itself resolve the reported violence or movement restrictions. The investigation into the Taybeh assault is a separate process, and the available reporting does not establish what action will follow against those accused in attacks on farmers.

The immediate question is whether families can reach their groves, harvest their crops and return home safely. The latest reports show that, during a season vital to both livelihoods and Palestinian identity, access to land and protection from violence remain unresolved.