The Land: The Core of the Struggle for an Agricultural Policy that Protects Palestinian Existence and Confronts Settlement

The land occupies a central position in the struggle against the occupation, as it forms a fundamental axis for all policies related to settlement, displacement, and control over resources. In this context, agriculture does not merely appear as an economic activity; it transforms into a first line of defense for Palestinian existence itself. Despite this critical role, the agricultural sector still receives less than one percent of the general budget, as if it were a margin in an equation that should be at its core.

The reality indicates that the Israeli government's policies, in addition to the practices of settler groups, directly target the Palestinian ability to cling to the land. Daily land confiscations, ongoing settlement expansion, and tightening restrictions on movement and access to fields are all tools used to create a repulsive environment for the Palestinian farmer. With each season, assaults are renewed, including uprooting trees, destroying and stealing crops, and burning greenhouses; however, these are not the only means of weakening.

There are less visible yet equally dangerous methods, such as systematic harm to the soil through pollutants or by preventing farmers from accessing it for extended periods, making it susceptible to diseases and pests. Furthermore, economic policies target national production by flooding the Palestinian market with Israeli products at subsidized prices. Consequently, prices drop to levels that local farmers cannot sustain. The expected result of this policy is clear: successive losses that force farmers to abandon the land, leaving them with no choice but to sell or leave it, which serves the core of the settlement strategy aimed at emptying the land of its legitimate owners.

Concurrently, the Palestinian community faces accumulating internal challenges. Thousands of workers who are banned from working inside the occupying state need sectors that can absorb them, and agriculture is the most capable sector of providing this economic extension, provided that it receives the necessary support. Additionally, the widespread destruction witnessed in Gaza, from land leveling to tree burning and damage to agricultural infrastructure, requires a clear national reconstruction plan, especially in light of international interest in this file, which should be leveraged within a cohesive vision.

Given all of the above, it becomes evident that leaving the agricultural sector without a strong national policy means leaving the land itself exposed. The occupation operates under a clear strategy toward the land: control, emptying, and then reshaping for the benefit of the settlements. Therefore, building an effective Palestinian agricultural policy is an urgent national necessity, not merely a developmental option. This policy must include increasing the budget, providing protection for farmers, enhancing competition against imported products, investing in agricultural technology, and developing modern marketing and storage mechanisms, in addition to strengthening the role of agriculture in providing job opportunities for groups that circumstances have brought back to work internally.

Ultimately, it becomes clear that agriculture is not a secondary sector but rather the heart of Palestinian resilience and its strategy for protecting both the land and the people together. From this standpoint, raising allocations for the agricultural sector in the general budget and dedicating direct governmental attention to it represent a fundamental national step, not only to ensure food security but also to protect Palestinian existence and enhance the farmer's ability to persist on his land and confront Israeli policies aimed at weakening and displacement. Investing in agriculture today is an investment in the resilience of the homeland and its future, and it must become an official priority reflected in concrete plans and measures on the ground.