UN reports increase in illegal settler attacks in occupied West Bank
(MENAFN) The ongoing olive harvest in the occupied West Bank has seen a spike in attacks by illegal settlers, reaching levels not seen in the past five years, according to a UN agency.
The UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) reported that 126 incidents occurred across 70 Palestinian towns and villages, with over 4,000 olive trees and saplings damaged. “The 2025 olive harvest season has so far witnessed the highest level of damage and number of affected communities due to settler attacks since 2020,” the statement said.
OCHA highlighted that 60 of these attacks involved direct assaults on Palestinian civilians, resulting in at least 17 injuries and damage to 19 vehicles over the past week alone. The agency also noted that illegal settlers from newly established outposts have restricted Palestinian farmers’ access to their groves, hampering the harvest.
On Saturday, Palestinian olive pickers in the village of Burin, south of Nablus, were assaulted by illegal settlers, who reportedly stormed farmland between Burin and nearby Huwara, beat several harvesters, and forced them to leave the fields. Some of the olives already collected were scattered on the ground, according to reports.
The attacks coincide with an overall rise in settler violence during the annual olive harvest, which typically starts in mid-October. The official Colonization and Wall Resistance Commission recorded 259 attacks by Israeli forces and settlers during this season.
Violence in the occupied West Bank has intensified since October 2023, with Palestinian sources reporting more than 1,062 fatalities and 10,300 injuries.
In July of last year, the International Court of Justice issued a landmark opinion declaring Israel’s occupation of Palestinian territory illegal and calling for the removal of all settlements in the West Bank and East Jerusalem.
Legal Disclaimer:
MENAFN provides the
information “as is” without warranty of any kind. We do not accept
any responsibility or liability for the accuracy, content, images,
videos, licenses, completeness, legality, or reliability of the information
contained in this article. If you have any complaints or copyright
issues related to this article, kindly contact the provider above.
Legal Disclaimer:
EIN Presswire provides this news content "as is" without warranty of any kind. We do not accept any responsibility or liability for the accuracy, content, images, videos, licenses, completeness, legality, or reliability of the information contained in this article. If you have any complaints or copyright issues related to this article, kindly contact the author above.
