Israeli Forces Uproot 70 Olive Trees in West Bank

Israeli forces have uprooted more than 70 olive trees that are 100 years old in the village of Qaryout, the occupied West Bank, according to the official Palestinian news agency WAFA.

Palestinian activist Bashar Moammr, revealed the residents of the village were taken aback when they discovered that settlers had uprooted 70 olive trees from their land. "The trees belong to the residents of Qaryouta and are situated in an area close to the illegal Israeli settlement of Eli."

Meanwhile, Riham Jafari, Coordinator of Advocacy and Communication for ActionAid Palestine, said: "The olive harvest season is usually a hugely special and joyful time for Palestinians, when families and friends come together to pick their olives and share food. But this year is very different."

She continued: "Farmers have been shot dead while harvesting their crops, while others have had their trees cut, uprooted, or set on fire. This is not just an attack in economic terms – it is an attack on our very sense of national pride and identity as Palestinians."

In the occupied lands, Palestinian farmers are being prevented by the Israeli army from reaching their land, while groups of settlers are burning their crops.

Since 1967, Israeli bulldozers and armed forces have uprooted around 800,000 olive trees, which has severely impacted the livelihoods of approximately 80,000 families, according to the Applied Research Institute of Jerusalem.