Israeli Settlers and Soldiers attack Palestinians harvesting olives

Olive Tree Campaign (www.ej-ymca.org)

Keep Hope Alive

Newsletter


October 20, 2008


Increasing violence during Olive Harvest 2008
Israeli soldiers & settlers attacks on farmers


A report from the UN declares that there has been as many attacks on farmers so far this year, as in 2007 all together. Even Israeli politicians have declared that the situation is getting out of control. Prior to the olive harvest season, Israeli and Palestinian officials agreed that the Israeli defense force would prevent the settlers from assaulting farmers during their olive harvest. Instead, the Israeli soldiers accompanied settlers in harassing farmers in several occasions during the last two weeks. Farmers are being forced to start their harvesting before the actual season has started, or will have to leave their trees half-full of olives. According to the Israeli High Court ruling of 2006, it is a violation of the law for soldiers to obstruct farmers from harvesting.

- http://www.maannews.net/en/index.php?opr=ShowDetails&ID=32281
- http://english.pnn.ps/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=3735&Itemid=1


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Ramallah Area


Ni'lin 10.10.08 - One hundred Israeli and international peace activists accompanied farmers to the olive harvest. The soldiers used teargas and sound bombs towards the farmers and peace activists. The Israeli soldiers injured ten people, including two children.

http://www.maannews.net/en/index.php?opr=ShowDetails&ID=32444
http://www.palsolidarity.org/main/2008/10/12/israeli-forces-attack-nilin-olive-harvest


Bil'in 10.10.08 – Farmers and international peace activists were obstructed to reach the olive groves behind the wall. Israeli soldiers shot at them with rubber bullets, gas and concussion grenades.

http://www.maannews.net/en/index.php?opr=ShowDetails&ID=32454
http://www.palsolidarity.org/main/2008/10/12/dozens-of-volunteers-injured-while-picking-olives-in-bilin


Ni'lin 3.10.08 – Israeli and international peace activists clashed with settlers as they accompanied farmers to their olive groves on the other side of the wall.

http://www.maannews.net/en/index.php?opr=ShowDetails&ID=32293

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Nablus Area


Azmut 18.10.08 – Israeli settlers from the settlement Alon Moreh attacked a Palestinian farmer by throwing stones at him. The farmer was sent to the hospital for treatment.

http://www.maannews.net/en/index.php?opr=ShowDetails&ID=32630


Nablus area 16.10.08 – Sheep released on olive field.

Israeli settlers from the settlement Itamar released a flock of sheep into an olive grove. Several olive and fig trees was injured by the animals.

http://www.maannews.net/en/index.php?opr=ShowDetails&ID=32577


Gith 13.10.08 – Israeli settlers cut down some 20 olive trees belonging to Palestinian farmers.

http://www.ynetnews.com/articles/0,7340,L-3608478,00.html


Salim 12.10.08 – Soldiers prevented farmers from accessing their land. The farmers are cut from their lands by the bypass road linking the two settlements of Itamar and Elon Moreh..

http://english.pnn.ps/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=3742&Itemid=1


Qrayut 12.10.08 - Settlers preventing farmers to access their land. Settlers blocked the path of farmers wanting to start their olive harvesting.

http://www.ynetnews.com/articles/0,7340,L-3608478,00.html


Hawwara/Burin 11.10.08 – Palestinian farmers were attacked by settlers from Yithzar settlement. The settlers came bearing machine guns and harassed the farmers by throwing stones at them, and then cut down five olive trees. Soldiers then came to the area, only to order the farmers to leave their land. The Israeli soldiers claimed the farmers did not have the proper permission to enter their olive groves.

http://www.maannews.net/en/index.php?opr=ShowDetails&ID=32470
http://www.palsolidarity.org/main/2008/10/11/two-palestinian-farmers-injured-as-yitzhar-settlers-attack-olive-harvest-near-huwwara-nablus


Nablus area 10.10.08 - Israeli settlers injure six Palestinians as they are harvesting olives. The settlers threw stones and beat the farmers. Among the victims were two children.

http://www.maannews.net/en/index.php?opr=ShowDetails&ID=32455


Tell 06.10.08 - Israeli soldiers interrupted farmers while harvesting olives. The farmers had been picking olives for a couple of hours when soldiers came and said they had to leave because the area was apparently a “closed military zone”.
http://www.palsolidarity.org/main/2008/10/06/farmers-from-salim-village-discover-theft-and-damage-to-their-olive-groves


Salim 06.10.08 – Farmers discover theft and damage to their olive trees. The village had been granted protection from the Israeli District Co-ordination Office for three days during the olive harvest season.
http://www.palsolidarity.org/main/2008/10/06/farmers-from-salim-village-discover-theft-and-damage-to-their-olive-groves

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Hebron

18.10.8 – Journalist injured by settlers while helping family harvest olives. Another two peace activist was injured in the attack.

http://www.maannews.net/en/index.php?opr=ShowDetails&ID=32623


3.10.08 – Settlers clash with Rabbis for Human Rights as they protect farmers while harvesting olives. In the aftermath, the peace activists were accused to have attacked the settlers.

http://www.maannews.net/en/index.php?opr=ShowDetails&ID=32307

http://www.maannews.net/en/index.php?opr=ShowDetails&ID=32293

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Tulkarem Area

Al Ras 04.10.08 - Settlers supported by Israeli soldiers forced a family by gunpoint to leave their tractor and carry on by foot, leaving most of their equipment behind in order to reach their lands. Israeli authorities have during the last couple of weeks set fire to large areas of agricultural land in the area.

http://www.maannews.net/en/index.php?opr=ShowDetails&ID=32307

http://www.imemc.org/article/57224

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Qalqilya

Kafr Qaddum 20.10.08 – More than one hundred Israeli settlers attacked and beat up farmers and international volunteers as they were harvesting olives at Jabal Odala. Several people was injured in the attack.

http://www.maannews.net/en/index.php?opr=ShowDetails&ID=32660


Qalqilya 16.10.08 – The olive groves of a Palestinian farmer in the village of Kafr Qaddum were set fire to by Israeli settlers from the Quedumin.

http://www.maannews.net/en/index.php?opr=ShowDetails&ID=32573


Kafr al-Labad and Shufa 16.10.08 – Israeli soldiers impose road block: A bulldozer was set up on an agricultural road thereby preventing farmers to bring their olive harvest to the olive press.

http://www.maannews.net/en/index.php?opr=ShowDetails&ID=32575


Kafr Qaddum 05.10.08 – Farmers preparing to harvest olives was attacked by a group of Israeli soldiers and settlers. The soldiers claimed the land belonged to the settlement of Qedumim.

http://www.maannews.net/en/index.php?opr=ShowDetails&ID=32339

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Jenin area

Jenin 18.10.08 – A group of settlers from the illegal settlement Mevo Dotan attacked a Palestinian family during their olive harvest. The settlers also stole the olives harvested by the family. One of the farmers was injured due to the attacks.

http://www.maannews.net/en/index.php?opr=ShowDetails&ID=32646


The Israeli settlers regularly harass the surrounding villagers by burning their lands, shooting at Palestinians, stealing their farming equipment, and attacking houses. The farmers has in total lost more than fifty percent of their olive groves.

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Further readings

- http://english.pnn.ps/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=3735&Itemid=1
- http://www.palsolidarity.org/main/2008/10/01/settlers-engaged-in-price-tag-campaign/
- http://www.imemc.org/article/57224
- http://www.presstv.ir/detail.aspx?id=71419§ionid=351020202
- http://www.jpost.com/servlet/Satellite?cid=1222017576844&pagename=JPost%2FJPArticle%2FShowFull
- http://www.jpost.com/servlet/Satellite?cid=1222017576865&pagename=JPost%2FJPArticle%2FShowFull