Settlers destroy olive trees in Taibah and steal the harvest

Palestinian farmer Bashir Naim reported that settlers broke olive trees on his land located in the town of Taibah, northeast of Ramallah, and stole part of the fruit, exposing him to the loss of the current crop and damaging production for years to come.

Naim clarified to Anadolu that his land, covering approximately 6,000 square meters, used to produce about 40 cans of olive oil annually, but he was deprived of access due to the presence of settlers. He added that the damage to the trees requires two or three years to repair and restore productivity.

Details of the attack

The farmer revealed that he was surprised three days ago by widespread damage, including broken branches, scattered fruit, and stolen crates. He pointed out that settlers climb the trees and beat the branches with sticks to drop the fruit, before taking some and leaving the rest scattered on the ground.

Naim described what happened not as olive picking but as revenge, considering the goal was to destroy the trees themselves, not just harvest the crop. He noted that the current season has practically ended for him, emphasizing that he lost the benefit of his harvest for two seasons.

Protection attempts

Peace activists arrived in the area to help Naim pick the fruit, but the settlers drove them away, preventing assistance. The farmer affirmed that he still hopes to return to his land, calling for protection for him and Palestinian farmers from any party willing to accompany them.

Broader context

Taibah is one of the prominent towns with a Christian majority in the West Bank, where settler terrorism has escalated in recent months. On August 10, the Israeli army announced the closure of the town as a military zone, which the mayor described as failing to provide the required protection.

For his part, the Palestinian Anti-Wall and Settlement Resistance Authority announced the documentation of 136 attacks related to the olive harvest season since early October, carried out by the Israeli army and settlers. These attacks were dominated by beating, expulsion, intimidation, shooting, use of gas, arrests, as well as theft of fruit, harvesting equipment, and tree destruction.

Source: Anadolu Agency