The key facts
- Israeli forces detained Democratic congressional candidate Brad Lander, dozens of foreign and Israeli activists, and Palestinian farmers during an olive harvest near Husan, west of Bethlehem.
- An activist told Anadolu of 45 detained foreign and 25 Israeli activists; the number of detained Palestinians is unknown.
- The Israeli army cited a 'security risk,' the Foreign Ministry called the visit a 'political provocation'; Lander said he was released with a warning while the others remained in custody.
Detention During the Olive Harvest
Israeli forces detained Brad Lander — the Democratic candidate for the US House of Representatives from New York's 10th district and an ally of New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani — along with dozens of activists and Palestinian farmers during an olive harvest in the occupied West Bank. According to Palestinian activist Amira Muslim, Israeli forces detained 45 foreign activists, including Lander, and 25 Israeli activists in the town of Husan, west of Bethlehem. The detainees, she said, were put on buses and taken to a nearby settlement; their final whereabouts remained unclear. The group included activists from the New York-based Jewish organization 'T'ruah: The Rabbinic Call for Human Rights.' The number of detained Palestinian farmers and any information about the release of any of the detainees were not immediately reported.
Reaction from Lander and Israeli Authorities
Lander confirmed the detention in a post on X, writing that he was detained 'along with a group of rabbis and volunteers' and that they 'were simply harvesting olives in a grove near Nahhalin in the West Bank.' He stated: 'Occupation is a crime under international law. Harvesting olives is not a crime under any law I know of.' The Israeli army said it intervened due to a 'security risk associated with an unauthorized harvest near an Israeli settlement,' without explaining what the danger consisted of, and confirmed that it 'detained those present.' Later, Lander wrote that the military released him with a warning while others remained in custody, adding: 'To be clear: Palestinians face far worse consequences every day.' Israel's Foreign Ministry called Lander's visit a stunt and a 'calculated political provocation.'
Context
Lander is a former New York City comptroller who describes himself as a 'liberal Zionist.' In June, he defeated Congressman Dan Goldman in the Democratic primary, turning their contest, according to The National, into a referendum on Israel: Lander criticized Goldman for opposing a bill to block arms sales to Israel and for refusing to call Israel's military campaign in Gaza a genocide. Forecasts indicate he is likely to win the November 3 midterm elections. The incident occurred days after a Washington Post journalist was attacked by masked Israeli settlers while accompanying Palestinian residents during an olive harvest. According to The National, since late September, when farmers began the harvest, settlers have killed at least two Palestinians. According to official Palestinian figures, about 750,000 Israeli settlers live in the West Bank, including East Jerusalem, in 194 settlements and roughly 400 outposts.
