UN Highlights Rising Violence Against Palestinian Farmers During Olive Harvest
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Raven Ruma
- . October 16, 2024
- . Update: October 17, 2024 10:24 am
According to UN experts, Palestinian farmers in the occupied West Bank are experiencing “the most dangerous olive season ever,” who have urged Israeli settlers and forces not to disrupt the harvest. They suggested that a foreign presence could serve as a buffer between the two sides. Arab News confirmed the news.
A group of UN experts revealed that farmers are facing severe harassment, intimidation, restricted access to their lands, and attacks from armed Israeli settlers and security forces. In 2023, the olive harvest was particularly affected by heightened violence and movement restrictions imposed by Israeli forces and settlers.
The experts pointed out that last year, Palestinians in the West Bank, including East Jerusalem, endured the highest levels of violence from Israeli settlers. This violence included assaults, the destruction of crops, theft of livestock, and blocking access to land, water, and grazing areas.
Additionally, Israel seized more Palestinian land last year than at any point in the past 30 years, with the situation expected to worsen. Olive harvests hold deep cultural and economic significance for Palestinians, and the experts warned that Israel’s actions appear aimed at expanding illegal settlements by restricting olive harvests and access to vital resources.
Francesca Albanese, the UN special rapporteur on human rights in the Palestinian territories, and other experts highlighted the challenges and threats faced by Palestinian farmers, particularly in accessing their olive trees. In 2023, over 9,600 hectares of olive-cultivated land remained unharvested due to Israeli restrictions, resulting in a loss of 1,200 metric tons of olive oil, valued at $10 million.
The experts called on Israeli forces to refrain from interfering in the current olive harvest and focus on ending the occupation. They also stressed the need for a foreign presence to protect Palestinian farmers and their families from further violence.
Tensions in the West Bank have intensified since the unprecedented Hamas attack on Israel in October last year. According to the Palestinian health ministry, over 705 Palestinians in the West Bank have been killed by Israeli forces or settlers since then. Meanwhile, Israeli officials report that at least 24 Israelis, including civilians and security personnel, have been killed in attacks by Palestinian militants or during Israeli military operations in the same period.
According to the Reuters report, the foreign secretary of Britain said on Wednesday that his country, along with France and Algeria, had called an urgent meeting at the United Nations Security Council to discuss the humanitarian situation in Gaza.
