Olive Harvest Tensions Flare in West Bank Ahead of Israeli Elections

Israeli soldiers backed settlers who seized Palestinian olive groves on Saturday, witnesses and medics reported, as the start of the harvest season brought tensions to several parts of the occupied West Bank.

Several people were injured in the incidents. The accounts did not specify an exact toll or the severity of the injuries.

Witnesses described soldiers supporting settlers as they took control of the groves. The reported seizures came as Palestinians began the seasonal olive harvest.

The incidents unfolded ahead of Israeli elections, bringing renewed attention to tensions over Palestinian farmland in the occupied territory. The available accounts did not establish a connection between the incidents and the election campaign.