SUMMARY

• Palestinian farmers and activists were stopped by Israeli forces near Beita as olive harvesting began.
• Protesters said they were trying to reach farmland near a settler outpost.
• The UN has warned of rising risks and access restrictions during the olive harvest.

PALESTINE: Israeli forces blocked Palestinian farmers and solidarity activists from reaching olive groves near Beita in the occupied West Bank on Friday, as the annual olive harvest began.

Footage shows soldiers confronting the group near the town south of Nablus and preventing them from continuing towards the farmland.

Smoke was later seen in the area after grenades were reportedly fired towards the group, forcing some people to move back.

Farmers Blocked From Groves

Mohammad Dweikat, an anti-settlement activist from Beita, described the confrontation as an attempt to stop Palestinian farmers from harvesting their olive crops.

He said Palestinians had gathered to challenge restrictions on their presence in areas classified as Area C and intended to remain on their land.

Human rights activist Jonathan Pollak said the group was heading towards farmland near a settler outpost when Israeli soldiers and security forces stopped them.

Palestinian media also reported that Israeli settlers attacked farmers harvesting olives in Beita’s Jabal Al-Arma area and fired live ammunition towards them. No injuries were reported.

The Israeli military had not issued a public response at the time of publication.

Farmers face access restrictions as olive harvest season begins across the West Bank.

Harvest Under Pressure

Olive harvesting is an important seasonal activity for Palestinian farming communities across the West Bank.

The UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs has warned of protection and access risks ahead of the 2026 harvest. OCHA said Palestinian farmers faced restrictions around agricultural land near settlements and outposts.

During the 2025 olive harvest, OCHA recorded 185 settler attacks across 70 West Bank communities between October 1 and November 30. More than 6,000 trees and saplings were vandalised during the same period.

Ongoing West Bank Tensions

Beita has also seen confrontations during previous olive harvests.

OCHA documented an incident in October 2025 in which Israeli settlers, reportedly accompanied by Israeli forces, attacked Palestinian farmers and i...