Key facts
- Israeli military bulldozers destroyed nearly 9 acres of Palestinian-owned olive trees in the West Bank.
- The destruction occurred days before the annual olive harvest.
- The olive harvest is a significant part of Palestinian agriculture, accounting for about 8% of GDP and over 60,000 jobs.
- Landowners stated the uprooted trees were a primary source of income.
- The Israeli military cited security concerns as the reason for the uprooting.
- Palestinian groups view the destruction as an attack on their connection to the land and a source of income.
Israeli military bulldozers uprooted Palestinian-owned olive trees in the occupied West Bank on Wednesday, days before the annual harvest was set to begin. Villagers described the scene as devastating, with nearly 9 acres of trees, including newly planted ones, being torn from the ground. Abd Alfattah Tamimi, an olive grove owner, watched as his trees were smashed and uprooted, stating, "They left us with nothing." Nather Tamimi, another landowner, noted that his family and neighbors produce significant amounts of olive oil from the affected land.
The Israeli military stated it was checking a request for comment but had not responded by Wednesday evening. In the past, the military has cited security threats or ambushes on troops as reasons for clearing land of olive trees. However, Palestinian human rights groups dispute this, arguing that the destruction deprives Palestinian farmers of income from olives and olive oil sales and uproots trees that symbolize their connection to the land.
The olive harvest, a crucial part of Palestinian agriculture, typically begins in the first week of October. Agriculture accounts for approximately 8% of the Palestinian GDP and supports over 60,000 jobs. Palestinian activists and farmers anticipate this year's harvest will be particularly volatile due to a record surge in Israeli settler attacks on Palestinians and their resources in the territory.