Israeli settlers attack AFP journalist and olive farmers

Illegal Israeli settlers have attacked and injured Agence France-Presse (AFP) photographer Jafar Ishtayeh by throwing stones at him. They then burnt his car.

Israeli settlers attack Palestinians

The attack happened in the occupied West Bank village of Beita, South of Nablus, while Palestinian farmers were harvesting their olives. About thirty armed settlers attacked them, burned four cars, vandalised property, and punctured the tires of two other vehicles.

Several people were also injured due to beatings from the settlers, and Israeli occupation forces firing tear gas at them. Later the same morning, illegal Israeli settlers also attacked Palestinian olive harvesters in the  nearby town of Aqraba.

Intimidation is aimed at displacing Palestinians from their land

Illegal Israeli settlers and the occupation’s military often work hand in hand, terrorising Palestinians, with the intention of driving them from their lands.

During the annual olive harvest, which is just beginning, Palestinian farmers are repeatedly assaulted by both settlers and Israeli occupation forces, who have the aim of preventing them from accessing their agricultural lands. Often a settler outpost, such as caravan, then appears on the Palestinian land and intimidation becomes constant, eventually driving Palestinians from their land. Thousands have been forcibly displaced in this way.

Palestinians lose millions of pounds due to violence directed against them by the occupation

In October 2024 alone, during harvest season, there were 162 settler attacks on olive harvesters, 119 of which led to casualties or property damage, and many were carried out in the presence of Israeli security forces. Also in 2024, more than 96,00 hectares of olive-cultivated land across the occupied West Bank remained unharvested because of Israeli restrictions on Palestinian access. These restrictions caused an estimated £7.5 m financial loss for Palestinian farmers.

Since October 7, 2023, settlers have carried out more than 7150 attacks on Palestinians, many of which have been extremely violent, and have led to the deaths of 33 Palestinians.

Featured image via the Canary