sweet olive harvest

(c) Anne Paq/Activestills.org; Yanoun village, Olive harvest, 2006.


as every year the olive harvest is marked by constant harassement and attacks from the settlers. Palestinians, including children are attacked, trees are burnt.
the Israeli army and police just stand and watch.





MAAN NEWS AGENCY
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Elderly man, two children among six injured after settler attack

Date: 10 / 10 / 2008 Time: 17:22

Nablus � Ma�an � Israeli settlers injured six Palestinians as they harvested their olive trees near the illegal Israeli settlement of Brachah.

Medical sources at Radefia hospital told Ma�an that six residents of the village south of Nablus suffered bruises, fractures and wounds after settlers assaulted them. Among the victims were two children and an elderly Palestinian man.

Hospital officials identified the two injured children as eight-year-old Hesham Fayez Fathi Mansur and 12-year-old Madeeha Nassar Rashed Mansur.

70-year-old Fathi Rasheed Mansur, as well as Ibtisam Naasar Rasheed and Manal Wasfi Rasheed Mansur, both 30, were also injured in the attack.
A Palestinian Authority (PA) official responsible for village affairs told Ma�an that �dozens of Israeli settlers� attacked the Palestinians.

The official, Ghassan Daghlas, said the settlers beat and threw stones at the residents of the village on Friday.


MAAN NEWS AGENCY
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Olive harvest for Ni'lin farmers aborted by Israeli forces

Date: 10 / 10 / 2008 Time: 12:24

Bethlehem - Ma'an - Israeli forces prevented several Palestinian farmers accompanied by Israeli peace activists from harvesting olives near the village of Ni�lin west of Ramallah.

The farmers were accompanied by at least 100 Israeli peace activists, who came to assist in the harvest. In the past, international and Israeli presence during the harvest season has allowed many Palestinians to perform "regular" tasks they would otherwise be prevented from carrying out by Israeli forces.

Despite claims that the Israeli Civil Administration, which maintains control over the Palestinian West Bank, has coordinated with Palestinian authorities, there have been several incidents where Israeli troops have prevented farmers from reaching their land.

According to some of the peace activists, Israeli forces used tear gas and sound bombs to disperse the group, which was heading towards Ni'lin village lands. No injuries were reported.


Settlers increase attacks on Palestinians as olive picking season begins
author Thursday October 09, 2008 00:18author by IMEMC News

Several Palestinian villagers stated that the olive picking season has resulted in the increase of extreme Israeli settlers attacks against them and against several other Palestinian villages.

The northern part of the West Bank, the district of Nablus was the main target by the settlers, especially in areas close to the settlements of Alon Moreh, Itamar and Yitzhar.

In an unprecedented statement, Ghadi Shamney, the Israeli General in charge of the West Bank Israeli army brigades, affirmed that the settlers have significantly increased their attacks against Palestinian residents and have even attacked Israeli soldiers.

Shamney added that in the past, the attacks were carried out by dozens of settlers but now hundreds of settlers are carrying out these attacks. He also said that this was a very serious issue and claimed that most of the settlers in the West Bank were not violent.

“We are talking here about hundreds of settlers who are carrying out these attacks. There are nearly 300.000 settlers living in West Bank settlements.”

Resident Ahmad Awwad from Awarta village near Nablus said that residents started picking their olives trees three days ago. They deliberately chose to pick the olives during Jewish feasts because most of the settlers would be on vacation away from the settlements.

“Some of our orchards are very close to settlement outposts. We cannot pick our olive trees while the settlers are present; they always attack us." Awwad added, “Every year, we are prevented from picking hundreds of olive trees because they are adjacent to settlement outposts, especially on the hills.”

Residents Shihada Khalaf from Aseera Al Qibliyya village said that the settlers did not only attack the orchards but also attacked the village and sabotaged properties in it while the army did not intervene.

Khalid Mansour, a local activist against the wall and settlements and head of field operations in the Palestinian Agricultural Relief, said that efforts were being conducted to organize a campaign that includes large number of volunteers. This will include internationals and several institutions in order to help the villagers pick their olive trees and provide them with the needed tools such as ladders and blankets to be placed under the trees, boxes and other tools.
category west bank | israeli settlement | news report author email saed at imemc dot org
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