The Occupation Prevents Farmers from Harvesting Olives East of Qalqilya

SadaNews - Israeli occupation forces today, Monday, prevented farmers in the village of Kafr Qaddum east of Qalqilya from continuing to harvest olives on their lands.

Director of Agriculture in Qalqilya, Ahmad Eid, stated that the occupation forces, accompanied by settlers from the "Qadumim" settlement, stormed the northern area of the village, obstructed olive harvesting, and forced farmers and supporting teams to leave the land.

Eid explained that agricultural teams and volunteers were in the area as part of the national campaign launched by the Directorate of Agriculture last Thursday to support farmers during the olive season. He indicated that settlers arrived at the site under the protection of occupation soldiers, threatened to prevent any attempts to continue harvesting, and forced them to leave the land.

He pointed out that despite this, the campaign will continue and include the towns of Jius, Azzun, Kafr Qaddum, and Jinsafut, as part of the efforts of both official and civil sectors to alleviate the farmers' suffering, especially in areas adjacent to the apartheid wall and settlements, where residents face continuous difficulties accessing their lands due to occupation assaults.

Eid confirmed that agricultural teams will continue to physically assist farmers and provide them with necessary supplies, despite the repeated assaults from the occupation and settlers against the land and people.

It is noteworthy that settler assaults have increased in recent days against farmers and olive pickers, with thirty-three attacks recorded that resulted in the injury of ten citizens, one of which was serious in Hebron.

During the annual olive harvesting season, Palestinian lands are subjected to repeated assaults by settlers and the occupation army, with farmers continuously facing aggressions and violations that prevent them from accessing their lands, leading to significant financial losses and increasing their daily suffering under the occupation.

Since October 7, 2023, settlers have carried out a total of 7,154 attacks against citizens and their properties, resulting in the martyrdom of 33 citizens in the West Bank.

The assaults by the occupation and its settlers have also led to the uprooting, breaking, and damaging of a total of 48,728 trees, including 37,237 olive trees, according to the Wall and Settlement Resistance Authority.