Three Palestinian farmers were injured on Saturday after illegal Israeli settlers attacked olive pickers in the southern Nablus region during the ongoing harvest season, according to the Palestinian news agency WAFA.
Armed settlers reportedly assaulted the farmers using sticks and dogs in the Wadi al-Hajj Issa area near Aqraba, forcing them to abandon their olive groves and flee. The incident is part of a broader pattern of settler violence that has escalated during this year’s harvest.
Systematic Disruption of the Harvest
In the nearby town of Duma, Israeli military forces reportedly prevented Palestinian landowners from accessing their orchards. Local council head Suleiman Dawabsha said settlers have continuously targeted Palestinian agriculture through physical assaults, theft of olives, vandalism of trees, and unauthorized grazing of livestock on private farmland.
A Broader Pattern of Attacks
According to the Colonization and Wall Resistance Commission, more than 7,000 settler attacks have been recorded across the West Bank since the Gaza conflict began in October 2023. The commission also documented 158 assaults specifically targeting olive harvest operations since early October 2025. Officials described the current situation as the most challenging harvest season in decades, due to widespread military closures of agricultural areas designated as “closed military zones.”
Economic Impact
The olive harvest remains a vital source of income for thousands of Palestinian families. However, the 2025 yield is projected to reach only about 15% of average production levels, the Palestinian Ministry of Agriculture reported.
In 2024, Palestine produced around 27,300 tons of olive oil, a partial recovery from 2023’s low output of 10,000 tons, but ongoing settler violence and military restrictions continue to threaten the economic survival of this cornerstone agricultural sector.
