Olive Harvest Season in the West Bank: Uncertainty and Uncertainty

Strategic Insights -

The olive harvest season in the West Bank village of Kufr Qaddum has become a time of uncertainty and struggle for Palestinian farmers like Yousef, who faces restrictions from Israeli forces and settlers, threatening the livelihood and heritage of thousands of families.

Key Takeaways:

  • Thousands of Palestinian farmers, including Yousef from Kufr Qaddum, face growing restrictions from Israeli forces and settlers during the olive harvest season, which runs from September to November, threatening their livelihood and heritage.
  • The UN Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) has supported olive farmers and cooperatives to improve access to and management of land and water resources, introduced sustainable practices, and helped increase food production and income.
  • Settler attacks on the harvest have reached their highest level in at least two decades, according to the UN aid coordination office (OCHA), with attacks on olive fields, theft of olive crops, and threats against farmers.
  • Palestinians have been denied access to tens of thousands of dunums of farmland and pasture, resulting in the destruction of the local economy and displacement of thousands of herders and farmers, conditions that may amount to forcible transfer.
  • The International Court of Justice (ICJ) has ruled that Israel's continued presence in the Occupied Palestinian Territory is unlawful and that it is under an obligation to end its unlawful presence "as rapidly as possible."
  • The UN human rights office (OHCHR) has warned of escalating Israeli settler violence and urged the international community to work with institutions through peaceful means to achieve a result that enables farmers to access their lands safely and harvest their olives.

Statistics:

  • Thousands of dunums of farmland and pasture have been denied to Palestinians, resulting in the destruction of the local economy.
  • Settler attacks on the harvest have reached their highest level in at least two decades, with over reported incidents in the past year.
  • The olive season is the main economic lifeline for farmers and employees in both the public and private sectors, with over 300 dunums of land denied to Yousef from Kufr Qaddum.
  • The Israeli Kedumim settlement in Qalqiliya Governorate has restricted access to over 3,000 dunums of olive-cultivated land located within the settlement boundary.
  • The UN Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) has supported olive farmers and cooperatives to improve access to and management of land and water resources, introduced sustainable practices, and helped increase food production and income.

Sources:

  • United Nations News Service, "As West Bank gears up for olive harvest, farmers face 'unprecedented' risks"
  • United Nations Food and Agriculture Organization, "Supporting olive farmers and cooperatives in the West Bank"
  • United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs, "Escalating settler violence in the West Bank"
  • International Court of Justice, "Advisory Opinion on the Israeli-Palestinian Conflict"
  • United Nations Human Rights Office, "Warning of escalating Israeli settler violence"