Palestinian Commission Documents 40 Attacks on Olive Harvesters in West Bank

WEST BANK — A Palestinian commission recorded 40 attacks on olive harvesters across the occupied West Bank on Saturday, according to a report published on Telegram by the Palestine Chronicle. The attacks were reported between 6 am and 6 pm.

According to the same report, Israeli occupation forces and illegal settlers carried out the attacks. Palestinians were shot, beaten and affected by tear gas, the report said. It also said crops were stolen, agricultural equipment seized and olive trees destroyed. Israeli forces arrested five people during the harvest, the report added.

The report said an assault on European diplomatic vehicles was also among the incidents. It did not give details of who was in the vehicles or what happened to them.

Separately, a post on Telegram by the Quds News Network said settlers attacked olive pickers in the village of Birham, north of Ramallah, and injured a Palestinian farmer. The post did not give a time or details of the injury.

Neither the Israeli military nor the Israeli government has commented on these reports in the sources reviewed. The number of people injured across all 40 incidents is not known. The two Telegram posts are unverified, and no news outlet has confirmed the count.

Background

Olive harvesting is an annual activity for many Palestinian families in the West Bank. Farmers and rights groups have reported attacks on harvesters in previous seasons, according to earlier reporting. The Wall and Settlement Resistance Commission is a Palestinian body that documents incidents in the occupied territory.