Israeli forces prevent Palestinian farmers from harvesting olives east of Tulkarem

Israeli occupation forces Friday prevented Palestinian farmers in the town of Ramin, east of Tulkarem, from picking their olive crops and forced them to leave their land. Local farmer, Manal Zidan, told WAFA that Israeli soldiers stormed the Ramin plain area east of the town, preventing farmers from picking their olive crops at gunpoint, and from returning to their land only after obtaining coordination and permits to enter, claiming that the area is a military zone. The farmer said that forces were accompanied by a colonist who had previously taken control of areas in the Ramin plain, where he established a colonial outpost for grazing his cattle. The colonist has been assaulting farmers working on their land and forcing them to leave at gunpoint. The area has been subjected to numerous attacks by colonists, including destroying and setting fire to trees. Colonists regularly attack Palestinian farmers during the annual olive harvest season and either steal their crops or prevent them from reaching their lands, in addition to destroying or cutting down olive trees. The olive harvest season is one of the most important seasons for thousands of Palestinian families, many of whom make their living from this harvest. Source: Palestine news & Information Agency - WAFA