Six Injured in West Bank Olive Harvest Attack by Settlers

Rabbis for Human Rights announced on Tuesday morning that six individuals were injured during an attack by extremist settlers in the northern West Bank. The incident occurred outside the Palestinian village of Qusra, where the organization had arranged agricultural activities for its volunteers. The attackers used rocks and clubs to strike the group, resulting in injuries that required medical attention.

Among the wounded was a member of the press, identified by the Palestinian Authority's official news agency WAFA as Alaa Badarneh, a photojournalist for the European Pressphoto Agency. The group also stated that four of its own activists, who were assisting Palestinian olive growers, were hurt, along with a local resident of Qusra. Two of the injured sustained head wounds and were transported to a hospital, while others were treated on site by the Red Crescent.

Video footage captured during the event shows masked assailants throwing stones at the activists and beating others with clubs. The footage also depicts the attackers stealing olives that had already been harvested. According to Ezra Brownstein, a staff member of Rabbis for Human Rights who was present, the volunteers had been harvesting olives for approximately one and a half hours before the attack commenced.

Brownstein described the sequence of events, noting that the volunteers spotted a group of extremists gathering on a hill above them and contacted the police. Although the attack began after an IDF force arrived at the scene, the settlers launched their assault by throwing stones and beating the workers. At one point, the group stole several tarpaulins filled with harvested olives and moved toward a nearby illegal settlement outpost, which is believed to be their point of origin.

The IDF soldiers attempted to stop the theft and managed to retrieve the tarpaulins, though the olives were scattered across the ground. Brownstein said the soldiers used tear gas to disperse the assailants. The extremists regrouped and attacked from a different direction but were driven off again by the IDF. As the volunteers began treating those who did not need hospitalization, the settlers gathered nearby once more, prompting the group to flee into the village of Qusra for safety.

Reflecting on the incident, Brownstein commented on the safety measures now taken for such activities. He stated that the group has started distributing helmets to volunteers, noting that he does not feel secure without one. He described the situation as absurd, emphasizing that a peaceful day of community work should not require such precautions. He added that the need to harvest quickly before settlers attack makes the process feel untenable.

In response to the incident, the army stated that an IDF force had been dispatched to the area to handle the situation but provided no further details. Police also confirmed they had launched an investigation into what they termed an incident of friction. The attack adds to a growing list of violent encounters linked to the annual olive harvest.

The Yesh Din organization, which monitors settler violence, recorded 436 incidents of attacks directly connected to the olive harvest between September 27 and November 4. During that same period, the group counted 937 settler attacks overall. This pattern of violence has led to international sanctions against Israel and widespread condemnation from public figures both within the country and abroad.

Last month, President Isaac Herzog wrote to Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, describing the violent actions of extremist settlers as a moral disgrace. In his letter, Herzog called for more significant efforts to crack down on the phenomenon. The recent attack in Qusra highlights the ongoing tensions in the region during the critical olive harvest season.