A Palestinian government body documented numerous settler attacks targeting Palestinians during the olive harvest in the West Bank. The Palestinian Colonization and Wall Resistance Commission recorded at least 19 separate incidents on Friday, which included assaults on harvesters, destruction of olive groves, and theft of agricultural products and livestock.
The attacks occurred across multiple locations including Qusra, where more than 50 olive trees were uprooted, as well as Tal, Jorish, Beita, Naqoura, Birzeit, Deir Bzeih, Farata, and other communities. In several instances, settlers employed violence against Palestinians, with reports of gunfire injuries in Kafr ad-Dik and armed confrontations in Deir Ballut. An elderly woman in Berin was injured when settlers’ dogs were set on farmers, while vehicle thefts and livestock seizures were reported in multiple towns.
Reporting from Ramallah, a correspondent noted that settler groups, operating with Israeli military support, have become increasingly aggressive during the harvest season despite the presence of international observers. Palestinians have adopted protective measures including organizing harvest groups with international solidarity activists to deter attacks. However, settlers reportedly wait for these protective groups to leave before launching additional assaults, and a recently established settlement outpost near Ramallah has been used as a staging area for attacks.
Simultaneously, Israeli forces conducted separate security operations across the West Bank. According to Palestinian news sources, Israeli military units arrested 16 Palestinians during Friday raids. In Hebron, nine individuals were detained including the director of Ibrahimi Mosque and an official overseeing mosque custodians. Five Palestinians were arrested in Qalqilya, and two additional detainees were taken from Beita following home searches.
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