Ramallah:The Wall and Settlement Resistance Commission has reported a total of 674 attacks orchestrated by Israeli occupation forces and colonists targeting olive trees and Palestinian farmers across the occupied West Bank, including East Jerusalem. These incidents occurred over a span of 37 days from October 1 to November 6, 2026.
According to Palestine news & Information Agency – WAFA – English, the commission specified that colonists were responsible for 520 of these attacks, while Israeli occupation forces carried out 154. The report underscores an increasing trend in targeting the olive harvest season, critically affecting the livelihoods of Palestinian farming families.
The governorates of Nablus, Ramallah and al-Bireh, and Salfit accounted for the majority of the attacks, with 230, 130, and 129 incidents respectively, making up approximately 72.6% of the total attacks recorded. Hebron witnessed 87 attacks, Jenin 41, Bethlehem 30, Qalqilya 24, and Jerusalem three.
The commission also detailed various forms of aggression against farmers, including 249 cases of intimidation and threats, 76 physical assaults, and 43 movement restrictions or denial of access to agricultural lands. Additional violations involved detentions, gunfire, tear gas, pepper spray attacks, and assaults on international solidarity activists and journalists. A Palestinian participant in the olive harvest was killed due to injuries from colonist gunfire.
The attacks did not spare olive trees, crops, and agricultural equipment, with 91 incidents of olive theft, 37 cases of equipment theft or confiscation, 20 instances of tree damage, and 18 cases of cutting down and uprooting trees being documented. Approximately 2,974 olive trees were damaged, with the commission noting that some incidents lacked specific figures.
Comparing the current data to past olive harvest seasons, the commission recorded 333 attacks in 2023, 407 in 2024, and over 441 in 2025. The 674 attacks during the 2026 period indicate a significant increase, with a 102% rise compared to 2023 and a 66% increase compared to 2024, despite the shorter assessment period. The commission has called for international intervention to protect Palestinian farmers, ensuring safe access to agricultural lands and accountability for the perpetrators of these attacks.