For centuries, olive trees have held significant cultural and economic importance for Palestinians, symbolizing both sustenance and heritage in the region between the Eastern Mediterranean and the Jordan River. Recently, a series of violent incidents targeting Palestinian olive groves has raised concerns over escalating tensions and broader implications for Palestinian livelihoods.

Last week near the West Bank village of Abu Falah, Jewish extremist settlers reportedly attacked Palestinian olive pickers, injuring Heidi Levine, a photojournalist from The Washington Post. The following day, a French mayor accompanying a European delegation was also assaulted. These attacks, occurring in daylight and captured on video, have underscored the heightened risks faced by Palestinian farmers during the olive harvest season, traditionally a time of celebration and community.

The olive harvest has become increasingly perilous across the West Bank and Gaza due to what Palestinian officials describe as a sustained campaign of hostility and intimidation. In Gaza, reports indicate near-total destruction of olive groves, which historically endured various empires but have been devastated in the region’s recent conflicts. In the West Bank, over 120,000 olive trees have been destroyed or uprooted since 2020, according to Palestinian sources.

This year coincides with heightened settler violence and restrictions imposed on Palestinian access to farmland, intensifying the challenges for agricultural communities. Many Palestinians have reportedly been forced to abandon their fields, with some villages experiencing partial or full evacuation due to security concerns. These developments have turned a traditional agricultural practice into a hazardous undertaking.

Observers link the surge in violence to the upcoming Israeli elections scheduled for October 27. Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu faces weakening support, while ultranationalist figures such as Itamar Ben-Gvir, the minister responsible for police oversight, have gained prominence. Netanyahu’s alliance with figures like Ben-Gvir and Bezalel Smotrich, both influential in shaping policies affecting the West Bank, is seen as a factor contributing to the current environment.

In response to recent attacks, Netanyahu denied widespread settler violence, describing reports as a “smear” campaign. His office expressed reservations over the incident involving Levine, despite US officials, including the ambassador to Israel, labeling the assault a “terror” act. Meanwhile, international reactions have included the European Union’s implementation of sanctions against violent settlers and settler groups, alongside calls from US lawmakers for stronger Israeli measures to address settler attacks.

Despite these responses, critics argue that targeted sanctions and import restrictions fall short of addressing what they characterize as an official Israeli policy favoring the annexation of parts of the West Bank and the displacement of Palestinian communities. The systematic targeting of olive trees—central to Palestinian agriculture and identity—has been described by some as a form of ecocide aimed at undermining Palestinian presence and continuity on the land.

The ongoing conflict over these groves highlights the broader disputes surrounding land rights, security, and political control in the occupied territories, emphasizing the complex challenges that continue to shape the Israeli-Palestinian landscape.