Palestinian Farmers Report Settler Attacks on Crops in Occupied West Bank

Palestinian farmers in villages across the occupied West Bank are complaining of settler attacks on their crops, amid warnings that escalating violence could disrupt this year’s olive harvest.

The Palestinian Wall and Settlement Resistance Commission said farmers are likely to face greater hardship during the picking season than in previous years.

The commission attributed the worsening situation to an increase in settler attacks, which it said were taking place under the protection of the Israeli army.

It warned that the attacks threaten to prevent farmers from safely reaching their land to pick olives, putting large quantities of the crop at risk of being lost.

The warning highlights the pressure on Palestinian growers as they seek to harvest their trees while facing threats to both their crops and access to their farmland.