Ramallah, Oct. 22 (Petra) – The Palestinian Colonization and Wall
Resistance Commission (CWRC) documented 409 attacks by Israeli
settlers and forces against Palestinian olive farmers, their land,
trees, and agricultural equipment between October 1 and 21.

According to a commission statement issued Thursday, armed Israeli
settlers carried out 317 attacks, while Israeli forces were
responsible for 92 incidents. The violations included preventing
farmers from accessing their fields, physical assaults, forced
expulsions, crop theft, and the destruction of trees and agricultural
equipment.

Nablus Governorate recorded the highest number of incidents at 166,
followed by Salfit with 91, Ramallah and Al-Bireh with 69, Jenin with
36, Hebron with 30, Qalqilya with nine, Bethlehem with five, and
Jerusalem with three. Nablus and Salfit accounted for approximately
63 percent of the total.

The commission documented 287 incidents directly targeting farmers,
including 149 cases of intimidation and threats, 50 physical
assaults, 29 incidents involving movement restrictions or denial of
access to farmland, 18 arrests during harvesting, and 15 cases of
detention in olive groves.

It also recorded 14 incidents involving pepper spray and projectiles
fired toward farmers, 11 shooting incidents, and the killing of Ali
Hassan Al-Bazzari from Burqa, north of Nablus, who died after being
shot by settlers while harvesting olives on October 7.

Among the incidents documented, settlers reportedly attacked olive
harvesters in the Ma’in area of Masafer Yatta on October 17, under
the protection of Israeli forces. One Palestinian sustained a
live-fire injury, while two others suffered fainting and burns
following exposure to pepper spray.

On October 16, three farmers sustained injuries and bruises in a
settler attack during olive harvesting in Asira Al-Qibliya, while
other farmers were injured in Beita on the same day.

Separately, the commission documented 122 incidents targeting olive
trees, farmland, agricultural equipment, and property associated with
the harvest.

These included 57 cases of olive theft, 23 incidents involving the
seizure or theft of agricultural equipment, 12 cases of olive tree
damage, 11 incidents of tree cutting or uprooting, seven cases of
fires set on olive-planted land, five incidents of tree vandalism,
four cases of property arson, and three incidents of land bulldozing.

The reported violations also included the theft of harvested olives,
harvesting tools, and ground sheets, as well as attacks on farmers’
vehicles during crop transportation.

In Qabalan on October 16, settlers reportedly attacked and overturned
a Palestinian’s vehicle before stealing bags of olives. In Rantis,
farmers were detained for more than two hours, while Israeli forces
seized two bags of olives and two harvesting machines.

The commission called for measures to ensure farmers can safely
access their land, complete the olive harvest, and transport their
crops without interference. It also urged an end to the attacks and
accountability for those responsible.

//Petra// AO