Settlers torch olive trees and assault Palestinians during West Bank harvest
Israeli settlers attacked Palestinians and activists gathering olives in the occupied West Bank, setting fire to trees and throwing stones. The incident comes amid a reported rise in settler violence during this year’s harvest.
About a dozen settlers in black came from a hill near an outpost and torched around a dozen olive trees. Photographer Heidi Levine was taken to hospital after being kicked, she told reporters; the UN says attacks in the past two weeks have exceeded the total during last year’s harvest season, with violence reaching a record high.
- Settlers torched about a dozen olive trees in the West Bank.
- Photographer Heidi Levine was taken to hospital after the attack.
- The UN says settler violence has reached an all-time high.
New here? Start with this
The West Bank is a territory captured by Israel in the 1967 war, and Palestinians seek it as part of a future state. Israel has built settlements there, which most countries consider illegal under international law; Israel disputes that view. Some settlers live in outposts, which are smaller communities that may not have Israeli government authorisation.
Olive growing is an important source of income and a longstanding part of Palestinian life, and the harvest usually takes place in autumn. Farmers may rely on help from relatives and volunteers, while access to groves can be affected by nearby settlements and restrictions on movement. Violence during the harvest matters because it can put people at risk and damage trees that take years to grow.
Read the full article at the source →
Originally published by BBC World as “Israeli settlers attack Palestinians in West Bank during olive harvest”.