The key facts

  • Rabbi Dov Lior, according to Madar, declared on October 16 that seizing Palestinian olives was 'fully permissible' and carried 'additional virtue'
  • Citing Yesh Din: hundreds of attacks in 171 communities; in 68 cases farmers were completely barred from harvesting, in 119 the harvest was stolen
  • American photojournalist Heidi Levine and a delegation of European diplomats were among those attacked

The rabbi's religious ruling

The Palestinian Center for Israeli Studies (Madar) published a report on Monday according to which Rabbi Dov Lior — former rabbi of the Kiryat Arba settlement, associated with the far-right 'Jewish Power' party — issued a religious ruling on October 16 concerning Palestinian olives in the occupied West Bank. According to the report, he declared the seizure of the harvest 'fully permissible' and even possessing 'additional virtue.' Earlier on Friday, Israeli Channel 13 reported on the ruling, noting that Lior permitted taking olives, including beyond the immediate vicinity of settlements.

Arguments of the ruling

According to the report, the rabbi argued that Palestinians who are denied access to the groves for security reasons may be considered to have abandoned the harvest, making it available to others. He also stated that the land, under Jewish religious law, belongs to the Jewish people, and that Palestinians who planted olive trees have already been compensated by the harvests of previous years. The report, prepared by researcher Waleed Habbas, examines the ruling in the context of broader Israeli policy regarding the olive harvest.

Attacks and restrictions

Citing the Israeli human rights organization Yesh Din, Madar reports hundreds of documented attacks by Israelis and soldiers in 171 Palestinian communities since the start of the current harvest season: in 68 cases farmers were completely barred from harvesting, and in 119 cases the harvest was stolen. The report also mentions a decision reported in September by the newspaper Israel Hayom: Palestinian farmers are no longer allowed to harvest olives on land classified by Israel as 'state land,' and harvesting on private land requires prior coordination with the Israeli authorities. According to Madar, these restrictions, combined with the expansion of settlements, increasingly hinder farmers' access to the groves.

Attacks on foreign observers

The report mentions recent attacks on foreigners accompanying Palestinian farmers. American photojournalist for The Washington Post Heidi Levine was attacked by Israelis on Friday while covering the harvest near Ramallah. The next day, masked Israelis attacked vehicles carrying European diplomats during a visit to the town of Tayibe, damaging at least one vehicle.

The importance of olives for Palestinians

According to a document of the Israeli Civil Administration cited by Madar, Palestinian olive groves cover about 845 thousand dunams (208.8 thousand acres) and contain approximately 12.6 million trees. More than 100 thousand Palestinian families depend on olive cultivation as a source of income. Israel has occupied the West Bank, including East Jerusalem, since 1967; settlements in the occupied territory are illegal under international law.