Settler Violence Against Palestinian Farmers Escalates in the West Bank

As a fragile ceasefire prevails in Gaza, settler attacks in the West Bank have increased, with hundreds of thousands of Palestinians relying on ancient olive trees for their livelihood. The attacks, which began during the olive harvest, have resulted in the vandalisation of over 4,000 olive trees and saplings, and have left farmers fearing for their lives. The violence has been described as a means of undertaking annexation by stealth, by severing Palestinians' link to the land.

Key Takeaways:

• Over 60 Israeli settler attacks were recorded in the previous week across the West Bank, with more than half related to the olive harvest (UN Human Rights Office).
• Since the start of the harvest, 126 attacks have been recorded in 70 towns and villages, resulting in the vandalisation of over 4,000 olive trees and saplings (UN Human Rights Office).
• Israeli settlers have imposed restrictions on Palestinians' access to their olive groves, including in areas that were previously accessible without 'prior co-ordination' with Israeli authorities (UN Human Rights Office).
• President Trump has threatened to withdraw backing from Israel if it makes good on its intention to formally annex the West Bank ( UK Prime Minister's Office).
• The Palestinian Olive Oil Council reports that 32,000 acres of Palestinian-owned private land have been inaccessible since 2023 because they were deemed to lie within Israeli "buffer zones".
• Farmers are reluctant to risk their lives for a poor harvest, with the entire yield expected to be just a third of the average year (Fayad Fayad, head of the oil council).
• Settlers have stolen farm equipment and draft animals, as well as the olive crop itself, from the trees as farmers stayed away.
• Community efforts to secure the harvest have been attacked, including the leader of the Zaytoun 2025 campaign, Rabia Abu Naim, who remains in "administrative detention" (Haaretz).
• Israeli soldiers have raided the home of Abu Naim, and 32 foreign volunteers who had arrived in Nablus to help protect the harvest were deported.

Statistics:

• 60 Israeli settler attacks in the previous week across the West Bank (UN Human Rights Office).
• 126 attacks recorded in 70 towns and villages since the start of the harvest (UN Human Rights Office).
• Over 4,000 olive trees and saplings vandalised (UN Human Rights Office).
• 32,000 acres of Palestinian-owned private land inaccessible since 2023 due to Israeli "buffer zones" (Palestinian Olive Oil Council).
• The entire yield expected to be just a third of the average year (Fayad Fayad, head of the oil council).
• 32 foreign volunteers deported from Nablus (Haaretz).

Sources:

• UN Human Rights Office
• Haaretz
• Palestinian Olive Oil Council
• UK Prime Minister's Office
• Catherine Philp