Key facts
- An Israeli settler attempted to run over a Palestinian and set fire to olive trees in Al-Minya village, near Bethlehem.
- The olive harvest season has seen the highest level of Israeli settler attacks since 2020.
- Over 4,000 olive trees and saplings have been vandalized by settlers.
- Israeli soldiers have confiscated Palestinian olives and declared agricultural areas closed military zones.
- Settler violence has increased by 13% in the first half of 2025 compared to the same period last year.
An Israeli settler attempted to run over a Palestinian and subsequently set fire to olive trees in the village of Al-Minya, located southeast of Bethlehem in the occupied West Bank. This incident is part of a broader surge in settler violence targeting Palestinian agricultural lands and property.
The current olive harvest season has seen the highest level of damage and settler attacks since 2020, according to the UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA). The agency reported 126 attacks across 70 towns and villages, resulting in the vandalism of over 4,000 olive trees and saplings. In separate incidents, Israeli soldiers confiscated olives from Palestinian farmers in Sinjil and declared the area a closed military zone, a measure used to seize Palestinian land. Soldiers also used tear gas to disperse Palestinians harvesting olives in Turmus Aya.
Data from the Israeli NGO Peace Now indicates a significant rise in settler violence, with 757 assaults recorded in the first half of 2025, a 13% increase compared to the same period last year. These attacks often occur in the context of the olive harvest, which is crucial for the Palestinian economy, injecting nearly $200 million annually and providing income for around 100,000 families.
The escalating settler violence coincides with political developments, including a preliminary parliamentary vote in Israel to impose Israeli sovereignty on the occupied West Bank, a move seen as tantamount to annexation. This potential annexation has been opposed by the United States, with President Donald Trump and Vice President JD Vance stating their administration would not permit it, as it would undermine the possibility of a two-state solution.