21 oct 2017
Several extremist Israeli colonists attacked, Friday, a Palestinian man, while picking his olive trees, in his orchard, in the al-Khader town, south of the West Bank city of Bethlehem.
The colonists attacked the man, Ibrahim Mohammad Sbeih, 58, in his olive orchard in the al-‘Amara area, close to the illegal Sidi Boaz colonialist outpost.
Palestinian medical sources said the man suffered several cuts and bruises to his head and chest.
Ahmad Salah, the coordinator of the Popular Committee against the Annexation Wall and Colonies in al-Khader, said the Palestinian was attacked by the colonists, who tried to occupy his land, 4 Dunams, by placing fences, to encircle it.
The lands in question are planted with Olive trees, and grapevines, Salah added.
It is worth mentioning that the attack is one of the frequent assaults by the colonists, against the Palestinian and his brothers, as the colonists are trying to illegally confiscate their lands, and frequently prevented them from entering them.
The colonists attacked the man, Ibrahim Mohammad Sbeih, 58, in his olive orchard in the al-‘Amara area, close to the illegal Sidi Boaz colonialist outpost.
Palestinian medical sources said the man suffered several cuts and bruises to his head and chest.
Ahmad Salah, the coordinator of the Popular Committee against the Annexation Wall and Colonies in al-Khader, said the Palestinian was attacked by the colonists, who tried to occupy his land, 4 Dunams, by placing fences, to encircle it.
The lands in question are planted with Olive trees, and grapevines, Salah added.
It is worth mentioning that the attack is one of the frequent assaults by the colonists, against the Palestinian and his brothers, as the colonists are trying to illegally confiscate their lands, and frequently prevented them from entering them.
The Israeli Occupation Forces (IOF) continued, Friday evening, attacks on Palestinian farmers working in their agricultural lands, located near the apartheid wall.
Local sources affirmed to the PIC reporter that IOF stormed overnight Zabouba village, west of Jenin, and detained two minors while picking olive trees.
The two minor detainees were taken to the nearby Salem military camp for investigation before being shortly released.
IOF soldiers are used to move from Salem military camp into the nearby Palestinian villages, forcing local farmers to leave their agricultural lands.
Such Israeli attacks notably escalate during Palestinian olive harvest season.
Local sources affirmed to the PIC reporter that IOF stormed overnight Zabouba village, west of Jenin, and detained two minors while picking olive trees.
The two minor detainees were taken to the nearby Salem military camp for investigation before being shortly released.
IOF soldiers are used to move from Salem military camp into the nearby Palestinian villages, forcing local farmers to leave their agricultural lands.
Such Israeli attacks notably escalate during Palestinian olive harvest season.
19 oct 2017
A Jewish settler on Wednesday evening assaulted a Palestinian elderly woman in Jit village, west of Nablus city in the occupied West Bank, while others stole olive crops in the southern town of Qaryut.
Activist Zakaria Sadah, field coordinator at Rabbis for Human Rights, reported that a settler from Havat Gilad outpost brutalized an old female farmer woman called Fatima Arman, expelled her from her land under threat, and ripped out bags of olives she was carrying into thorny bushes.
Sadah affirmed there was prior coordination with the Israeli military authorities to allow local farmers to access their lands in the area.
In another incident, Sadah documented with photos widespread acts of sabotage committed by settlers in olive groves in Qaryut town, south of Nablus.
He said that a group of settlers made off with a large number of olive fruits from dozens of trees in the area, accusing the Israeli police of being lenient with settlers who commit crimes against Palestinian farmers and their lands in the West Bank.
He added that the police released a settler notorious for stealing olive crops from Palestinian groves a few days ago and only decided to give him a written order prohibiting him from getting near Palestinian agricultural areas during the olive harvest season.
Activist Zakaria Sadah, field coordinator at Rabbis for Human Rights, reported that a settler from Havat Gilad outpost brutalized an old female farmer woman called Fatima Arman, expelled her from her land under threat, and ripped out bags of olives she was carrying into thorny bushes.
Sadah affirmed there was prior coordination with the Israeli military authorities to allow local farmers to access their lands in the area.
In another incident, Sadah documented with photos widespread acts of sabotage committed by settlers in olive groves in Qaryut town, south of Nablus.
He said that a group of settlers made off with a large number of olive fruits from dozens of trees in the area, accusing the Israeli police of being lenient with settlers who commit crimes against Palestinian farmers and their lands in the West Bank.
He added that the police released a settler notorious for stealing olive crops from Palestinian groves a few days ago and only decided to give him a written order prohibiting him from getting near Palestinian agricultural areas during the olive harvest season.
17 oct 2017
On Monday, at dawn, Israeli settlers robbed olives from Al-Janiya town, west of Ramallah, and al-Sawiya town, south of Nablus, in the occupied West Bank.
Ghassan Douglass, a Palestinian official in charge of settlement activity in the northern part of the occupied West Bank, said that residents of Beit Ra’anan settlement stole olives from Palestinian lands belonging to Ayed Mazloum, in Al-Janiya town, west of Ramallah.
Douglass further added, according to Al Ray, that others from the Rahalim settlement stole olives from a land belonging to Palestinian Ali Taher, in Al-Talmah area, near Al-Sawiya town, south of Nablus.
Ghassan Douglass, a Palestinian official in charge of settlement activity in the northern part of the occupied West Bank, said that residents of Beit Ra’anan settlement stole olives from Palestinian lands belonging to Ayed Mazloum, in Al-Janiya town, west of Ramallah.
Douglass further added, according to Al Ray, that others from the Rahalim settlement stole olives from a land belonging to Palestinian Ali Taher, in Al-Talmah area, near Al-Sawiya town, south of Nablus.
16 oct 2017
The Israeli Occupation Forces (IOF) attacked Monday evening Palestinian farmers in Rumana town west of Jenin, and forced them to leave their agricultural lands.
The PIC reporter quoted local sources as saying that IOF moved from Salem military camp and deployed throughout the nearby agricultural lands.
IOF forced local farmers, who were picking olive trees, to leave their lands.
Along the same line, a military checkpoint was erected at the entrance to the town.
The PIC reporter quoted local sources as saying that IOF moved from Salem military camp and deployed throughout the nearby agricultural lands.
IOF forced local farmers, who were picking olive trees, to leave their lands.
Along the same line, a military checkpoint was erected at the entrance to the town.
14 oct 2017
A Palestinian official report on Saturday affirmed that the settlement activity in 2017 is over four times higher than that recorded in 2016 due to the support it receives from the Israeli government and the US.
The National Office for Defending Land and Resisting Settlement of the Palestine Liberation Organization said that Israel has dramatically escalated its settlement construction in the occupied West Bank and Jerusalem.
According to the Israeli Prime Minister's office, the Supreme Planning Council at the so-called Civil Administration is expected to approve a large number of settlement schemes that include the construction of nearly 3,800 settlement units.
The National Office pointed out that Israeli settlers consider these units insufficient and demand, led by the head of the Shomron Regional Council, Yossi Dagan, the construction of new bypass roads and industrial areas, which means confiscating more Palestinian lands.
The Israeli government, according to official statistics, intends to build more than 12,000 settlement units by the end of 2017 making an increase of up to four times in the settlement activity compared to 2016.
This was confirmed through data published by Peace Now Movement indicating that 68% of the new settlement plans will be focused on the expansion of random outposts.
The report shed light on the attacks carried out by armed Israeli settlers with the beginning of the olive harvest season against Palestinian farmers which included stealing their crops and preventing them from reaching their lands located near settlements.
The National Office for Defending Land and Resisting Settlement of the Palestine Liberation Organization said that Israel has dramatically escalated its settlement construction in the occupied West Bank and Jerusalem.
According to the Israeli Prime Minister's office, the Supreme Planning Council at the so-called Civil Administration is expected to approve a large number of settlement schemes that include the construction of nearly 3,800 settlement units.
The National Office pointed out that Israeli settlers consider these units insufficient and demand, led by the head of the Shomron Regional Council, Yossi Dagan, the construction of new bypass roads and industrial areas, which means confiscating more Palestinian lands.
The Israeli government, according to official statistics, intends to build more than 12,000 settlement units by the end of 2017 making an increase of up to four times in the settlement activity compared to 2016.
This was confirmed through data published by Peace Now Movement indicating that 68% of the new settlement plans will be focused on the expansion of random outposts.
The report shed light on the attacks carried out by armed Israeli settlers with the beginning of the olive harvest season against Palestinian farmers which included stealing their crops and preventing them from reaching their lands located near settlements.
A group of Israeli settlers surrounded a Palestinian family while they were picking olives on their private land east of Nablus in the northern occupied West Bank on Saturday morning.
A local source told PIC that a number of settlers from the illegal Alon Moreh settlement surrounded Abu Yasser family while they were picking olives on their land in the outskirts of the village of Deir Hatab and threatened to kill them if they don’t leave the area.
Local residents immediately rushed to the area and forced the settlers to leave before an Israeli patrol arrived.
During olive harvest season, settlers’ attacks on Palestinian harvesters and their olive groves have been a near daily occurrence in past years.
A local source told PIC that a number of settlers from the illegal Alon Moreh settlement surrounded Abu Yasser family while they were picking olives on their land in the outskirts of the village of Deir Hatab and threatened to kill them if they don’t leave the area.
Local residents immediately rushed to the area and forced the settlers to leave before an Israeli patrol arrived.
During olive harvest season, settlers’ attacks on Palestinian harvesters and their olive groves have been a near daily occurrence in past years.
13 oct 2017
A group of Israeli settlers on Friday stole olive crops from 420 olive trees in the villages of Qaryut and Awarta to the south of Nablus city.
Anti-settlement activist in the northern West Bank, Ghassan Daghlas, said that the Israeli settlers stole olives from about 300 olive trees belonging to a Palestinian land in Qaryut village that is owned by the Palestinian citizen Jibril Mousa.
Daghlas added that a similar incident involving 120 olive trees was reported in Palestinian lands in Awarta village located near the illegal settlement of Itamar.
According to the human rights activist Zakaria al-Sadda, Mousa's family were supposed to pick their olives next Sunday after they have managed to obtain a permit from the Israeli authorities, but they lost their whole harvest of olives.
Mousa's family were previously exposed to multiple attacks and received threats from Israeli settlers to destroy their lands.
Anti-settlement activist in the northern West Bank, Ghassan Daghlas, said that the Israeli settlers stole olives from about 300 olive trees belonging to a Palestinian land in Qaryut village that is owned by the Palestinian citizen Jibril Mousa.
Daghlas added that a similar incident involving 120 olive trees was reported in Palestinian lands in Awarta village located near the illegal settlement of Itamar.
According to the human rights activist Zakaria al-Sadda, Mousa's family were supposed to pick their olives next Sunday after they have managed to obtain a permit from the Israeli authorities, but they lost their whole harvest of olives.
Mousa's family were previously exposed to multiple attacks and received threats from Israeli settlers to destroy their lands.
A group of Israeli settlers on Friday afternoon stole olive crops from Palestinian lands in Awarta town to the south of Nablus city.
Eyewitnesses reported that a number of Palestinian activists managed to record a video of a group of settlers stealing olives near the illegal settlement of Itamar.
The Palestinian researcher, Khalid Ma'ali, said that the Palestinian lands adjacent to Israeli settlements or located behind the separation wall are the most vulnerable to such thefts which occur every year especially in the southern area of Nablus province.
Ma'ali pointed out that Palestinian farmers during the olive harvest season suffer heavy losses that increase each new year because of the settlement expansion and the Israeli army's protection of the settlers who steal the crops.
Eyewitnesses reported that a number of Palestinian activists managed to record a video of a group of settlers stealing olives near the illegal settlement of Itamar.
The Palestinian researcher, Khalid Ma'ali, said that the Palestinian lands adjacent to Israeli settlements or located behind the separation wall are the most vulnerable to such thefts which occur every year especially in the southern area of Nablus province.
Ma'ali pointed out that Palestinian farmers during the olive harvest season suffer heavy losses that increase each new year because of the settlement expansion and the Israeli army's protection of the settlers who steal the crops.
11 oct 2017
Dozens of Palestinian activists on Wednesday participated in a voluntary event to pick olives in lands adjacent to Mabo Dotan settlement in Yabad town south of Jenin city in defiance of Israeli occupation restrictions.
Local sources told the PIC reporter that Israeli soldiers, who usually prevent Palestinian farmers from picking their olives in the area, were deployed close to the activists throughout the event. However, no clashes have resulted.
Head of Yabad council, Samer Abu Baker, said in a press statement that the event aimed at opening the season of picking olives and supporting the farmers in the town which suffers from Israeli daily harassment and violations. The western entrance to the town has been closed for several years, he pointed out.
Local sources told the PIC reporter that Israeli soldiers, who usually prevent Palestinian farmers from picking their olives in the area, were deployed close to the activists throughout the event. However, no clashes have resulted.
Head of Yabad council, Samer Abu Baker, said in a press statement that the event aimed at opening the season of picking olives and supporting the farmers in the town which suffers from Israeli daily harassment and violations. The western entrance to the town has been closed for several years, he pointed out.
Extremist Jewish settlers on Wednesday afternoon attacked Palestinian farmers while picking olives in al-Mantara area in Kafr Qalil town, south of Nablus city, in the northern West Bank.
Eyewitnesses told the PIC reporter that the attacking settlers were from Har Brakha settlement which was illegally established over Mount Gerizim in Nablus.
The inhabitants rushed to the area to protect the farmers after hearing their calls and managed to confront the attacking settlers and force them to leave.
Eyewitnesses told the PIC reporter that the attacking settlers were from Har Brakha settlement which was illegally established over Mount Gerizim in Nablus.
The inhabitants rushed to the area to protect the farmers after hearing their calls and managed to confront the attacking settlers and force them to leave.
Palestinian farmers from Qarawat Bani Hassan town, northwest of Salfit in the occupied West Bank, have complained of tight Israeli restrictions on their access to their olive groves during the current harvest season.
Farmers told the Palestinian Information Center (PIC) that the Israeli occupation army continued to close an important agricultural road used to facilitate their access to their lands and their work during the olive harvest season.
One of the farmers said that the industrial and residential settlement of Barkan devoured vast tracts of the town's land, while the Israeli army persists in imposing restrictions on the movement of local farmers every season.
For his part, anti-settlement specialist Khaled Maali said that the Israeli army and settlers continue to tighten the screws on Palestinian farmers during the olive season and make it difficult for them to reach their lands, especially those located behind the separation wall.
Maali said that the Jewish settlers brutalize local farmers, and burn and destroy their olive trees or saplings almost on a daily basis in the West Bank, but they intensify such assaults during the harvest season.
Farmers told the Palestinian Information Center (PIC) that the Israeli occupation army continued to close an important agricultural road used to facilitate their access to their lands and their work during the olive harvest season.
One of the farmers said that the industrial and residential settlement of Barkan devoured vast tracts of the town's land, while the Israeli army persists in imposing restrictions on the movement of local farmers every season.
For his part, anti-settlement specialist Khaled Maali said that the Israeli army and settlers continue to tighten the screws on Palestinian farmers during the olive season and make it difficult for them to reach their lands, especially those located behind the separation wall.
Maali said that the Jewish settlers brutalize local farmers, and burn and destroy their olive trees or saplings almost on a daily basis in the West Bank, but they intensify such assaults during the harvest season.
10 oct 2017
His eyes roam far to his land behind the Apartheid Wall north of Salfit, sometimes he could not hold his tears back and sometimes he manages to control them. As he puts it, missing his land is like ‘a burning fire,’ as the scene of the olive harvest, which the Israeli occupation authorities made it impossible to happen, is still alive in his memory.
The Separation Wall has robbed farmer Ahmad al-Damas, 82, from the town of Salfit, more than 60 dunums of his family’s land in the areas of Wadi Al-Rahman, Wadi Hiyaj and the Sanabel, to the north of the governorate of Salfit. He said, “I do not know what the Israeli occupation forces are doing with my land as we are not allowed to access it except for a few days during the year. During the olive harvest season, they allow us to harvest olives for a limited period of time during the day, without paying attention to our conditions.”
“We used to go to our fields early in the morning, when birds would start singing. We would sing our traditional songs. The spirit of cooperation was better than it is now, and our days were better and more beautiful, and all were happy,” he added, recalling those beautiful days of picking olives before building the Separation Wall. After taking a deep breath, he continued: “The occupation turned everything upside down, and our joy and happiness turned into misery and humiliation and inspection at the occupation’s gates.”
Olive celebrations
He pointed out that in the past the olive season was a pure national event: “We used to sleep at our land and lived in security, safety and prosperity. But now, we live in poverty, and humiliation at the gates of the occupation’s wall. It is forbidden to enter and exit without permits. So that we don’t know what happens to our land throughout the year, except during the olive season when they allow us to enter our land.”
He adds, “Now the olive harvest season is taking place, starting by harvesting the Sarees olives, then the rest of types of olives. It is true that we do not know when we would be permitted to enter our land again, but we will continue to challenge the occupation, clinging to our land, despite the arrogance of the occupation.”
He asserts, “The land means everything to us: Life, good livelihood, future, homeland, dignity and pride, and all the punitive measures of occupation will not deter us from preserving our land, and we will die on it, with our heads held high, and we will follow the steps of our ancestors, who spilled their blood for it.”
In the opinion of Abu Maazouz, the olive tree represents a battle of identity with the occupation, explaining: “Every time the olive harvest season is due, the occupation and its settlers feel irritated, and they become very dangerous, acting like stray dogs, and trying all possible means to spoil this season, and to terrorize the Palestinians in all possible ways to prevent them from reaching out to their orchards and vineyards to harvest their crops.”
“The occupation also tried to rob olive trees, and to present them to the world through propaganda, to promote tourism, by placing them on postage stamps as a symbol of its history and heritage,” he continued. But this does not weaken the Palestinian strength or determination and challenge, adding, “We Palestinians affirm that this is our history, and our roots, and our olives, a witness to our truth and identity,” according to Abu Maazouz.
Settlement expansion
Ghassan Daghlas, the head of the settlement file in the northern West Bank, said that the land behind the wall, whether in Salfit or the rest of the West Bank, suffered heavy losses during the olive season, due to the short time during which farmers are allowed to pick olives, and due to land confiscation and uprooting, and the settlers’ assaults on fields and farmers.
On the legality of what the occupation does during the olive season, researcher Khaled Ma'ali says that the Israeli occupation’s measures and the restrictions imposed by its soldiers on farmers behind the wall violate the international humanitarian law and the occupation should not, according to the international law, disrupt the olive season and harass farmers, as it constitutes a violation of the civilian population’s work as stipulated in Article 52 of the Fourth Geneva Convention.
He pointed out that the villages and towns of Salfit, as well as the rest of Palestine’s governorates, suffer during the olive season from the Israeli occupation and its violations, aimed at expelling and displacing farmers to allow Israeli settlers to expand their settlements.
The Separation Wall has robbed farmer Ahmad al-Damas, 82, from the town of Salfit, more than 60 dunums of his family’s land in the areas of Wadi Al-Rahman, Wadi Hiyaj and the Sanabel, to the north of the governorate of Salfit. He said, “I do not know what the Israeli occupation forces are doing with my land as we are not allowed to access it except for a few days during the year. During the olive harvest season, they allow us to harvest olives for a limited period of time during the day, without paying attention to our conditions.”
“We used to go to our fields early in the morning, when birds would start singing. We would sing our traditional songs. The spirit of cooperation was better than it is now, and our days were better and more beautiful, and all were happy,” he added, recalling those beautiful days of picking olives before building the Separation Wall. After taking a deep breath, he continued: “The occupation turned everything upside down, and our joy and happiness turned into misery and humiliation and inspection at the occupation’s gates.”
Olive celebrations
He pointed out that in the past the olive season was a pure national event: “We used to sleep at our land and lived in security, safety and prosperity. But now, we live in poverty, and humiliation at the gates of the occupation’s wall. It is forbidden to enter and exit without permits. So that we don’t know what happens to our land throughout the year, except during the olive season when they allow us to enter our land.”
He adds, “Now the olive harvest season is taking place, starting by harvesting the Sarees olives, then the rest of types of olives. It is true that we do not know when we would be permitted to enter our land again, but we will continue to challenge the occupation, clinging to our land, despite the arrogance of the occupation.”
He asserts, “The land means everything to us: Life, good livelihood, future, homeland, dignity and pride, and all the punitive measures of occupation will not deter us from preserving our land, and we will die on it, with our heads held high, and we will follow the steps of our ancestors, who spilled their blood for it.”
In the opinion of Abu Maazouz, the olive tree represents a battle of identity with the occupation, explaining: “Every time the olive harvest season is due, the occupation and its settlers feel irritated, and they become very dangerous, acting like stray dogs, and trying all possible means to spoil this season, and to terrorize the Palestinians in all possible ways to prevent them from reaching out to their orchards and vineyards to harvest their crops.”
“The occupation also tried to rob olive trees, and to present them to the world through propaganda, to promote tourism, by placing them on postage stamps as a symbol of its history and heritage,” he continued. But this does not weaken the Palestinian strength or determination and challenge, adding, “We Palestinians affirm that this is our history, and our roots, and our olives, a witness to our truth and identity,” according to Abu Maazouz.
Settlement expansion
Ghassan Daghlas, the head of the settlement file in the northern West Bank, said that the land behind the wall, whether in Salfit or the rest of the West Bank, suffered heavy losses during the olive season, due to the short time during which farmers are allowed to pick olives, and due to land confiscation and uprooting, and the settlers’ assaults on fields and farmers.
On the legality of what the occupation does during the olive season, researcher Khaled Ma'ali says that the Israeli occupation’s measures and the restrictions imposed by its soldiers on farmers behind the wall violate the international humanitarian law and the occupation should not, according to the international law, disrupt the olive season and harass farmers, as it constitutes a violation of the civilian population’s work as stipulated in Article 52 of the Fourth Geneva Convention.
He pointed out that the villages and towns of Salfit, as well as the rest of Palestine’s governorates, suffer during the olive season from the Israeli occupation and its violations, aimed at expelling and displacing farmers to allow Israeli settlers to expand their settlements.
9 oct 2017
Israeli occupation forces (IOF) arrested a Palestinian boy in Erka village, west of Jenin province, at noon Monday while picking olives in his family’s land.
Local sources told the PIC reporter that IOF soldiers, stationed at the watchtower of the separation wall established on the village’s land, stormed an agricultural land lot and rounded up the 17-year-old minor Suleiman Husam Yehya.
They added that the soldiers were then seen deployed in olive groves at the cultivated land lots near the apartheid wall.
Local sources told the PIC reporter that IOF soldiers, stationed at the watchtower of the separation wall established on the village’s land, stormed an agricultural land lot and rounded up the 17-year-old minor Suleiman Husam Yehya.
They added that the soldiers were then seen deployed in olive groves at the cultivated land lots near the apartheid wall.
8 oct 2017
Farmers in the West Bank villages and towns, including West Salfit, complain about the low percentage of oil produced after pressing olives. The percentage of olive oil is up to only 10%, while it is supposed to reach 25% so as the farmers could secure sufficient income from the olive season.
Complexities and losses
One of the farmers, Khalil Ahmad, from a village in western Salfit said that his daily salary exceeds $100 from a job in 1948 occupied Palestine. He wants to finish the olive harvest before the end of the Jewish holidays, as he is off work, even if the percentage of olive oil is low at this time. This claim is rejected by the Ministry of Agriculture, according to engineer Ibrahim al-Hamad of the Ministry.
Ibrahim Al-Hamad, the Director of the Ministry of Agriculture in West Salfit, said, “The Ministry of Agriculture has set different times for the governorates for olive picking, according to the maturity of olives in each governorate. The early harvest of olives, as in some villages of West Salfit and other areas, is unsatisfactory and causes loss of olive oil produce. The Ministry has made efforts to prevent early picking of olives, without success so far, especially among Palestinian workers who work in 1948 occupied Palestine.”
Big losses
Farmers lose more than 70 percent of the olive oil produce, says Ramez Obaid of the Ministry of Agriculture, adding that this season is unique from the rest of the seasons. Even the early date for picking olives, set by the Ministry between 6-10 October, is only suitable for low-bearing trees, and it is in the semi-coastal areas, such as Qalqiliya and Tulkarem, while the rest of the farmers have to delay the harvest until the harvest is fully ripe.
A simple calculation of the amount of olive oil reveals that farmers lose 40% of olive oil produce, which is the percentage between the actual produce of olive oil (15%) and the expected percentage (25%) of the local Nibali olives category.
Farmers also lose 33% of the produce due to the difference in the growth ratio from 2 grams at the beginning of October to 3 grams at the end of October. This means that the total loss of farmers is more than 70% of the olive oil production.
“There are farmers who responded to the plea of the Ministry of Agriculture. Some farmers have decided to stop harvesting for another week,” Obaid said.
Solutions
Farmer Mahmoud Maher of Salfit says the solution is simple: to get the Ministry to prevent oil pressing facilities from opening their doors until olives get ripe, and thus farmers will not be able to harvest their olives earlier. Workers who fear for the loss of their high wages they get for working inside 1948 occupied Palestine could give a chance to other workers, who do not work in 1948 occupied Palestine, to do the job.
Agricultural engineer Nasser Hamid from Nablus said that the solution is to increase the awareness and education of farmers, whether they work in 1948 occupied Palestine or not, and to increase the control of the village and municipal councils over the harvest and organization of the season of olive harvest, as what is happening in the city of Salfit, which prevents early olive picking and imposes fines on those who do not abide, thus organizing the whole season.
Complexities and losses
One of the farmers, Khalil Ahmad, from a village in western Salfit said that his daily salary exceeds $100 from a job in 1948 occupied Palestine. He wants to finish the olive harvest before the end of the Jewish holidays, as he is off work, even if the percentage of olive oil is low at this time. This claim is rejected by the Ministry of Agriculture, according to engineer Ibrahim al-Hamad of the Ministry.
Ibrahim Al-Hamad, the Director of the Ministry of Agriculture in West Salfit, said, “The Ministry of Agriculture has set different times for the governorates for olive picking, according to the maturity of olives in each governorate. The early harvest of olives, as in some villages of West Salfit and other areas, is unsatisfactory and causes loss of olive oil produce. The Ministry has made efforts to prevent early picking of olives, without success so far, especially among Palestinian workers who work in 1948 occupied Palestine.”
Big losses
Farmers lose more than 70 percent of the olive oil produce, says Ramez Obaid of the Ministry of Agriculture, adding that this season is unique from the rest of the seasons. Even the early date for picking olives, set by the Ministry between 6-10 October, is only suitable for low-bearing trees, and it is in the semi-coastal areas, such as Qalqiliya and Tulkarem, while the rest of the farmers have to delay the harvest until the harvest is fully ripe.
A simple calculation of the amount of olive oil reveals that farmers lose 40% of olive oil produce, which is the percentage between the actual produce of olive oil (15%) and the expected percentage (25%) of the local Nibali olives category.
Farmers also lose 33% of the produce due to the difference in the growth ratio from 2 grams at the beginning of October to 3 grams at the end of October. This means that the total loss of farmers is more than 70% of the olive oil production.
“There are farmers who responded to the plea of the Ministry of Agriculture. Some farmers have decided to stop harvesting for another week,” Obaid said.
Solutions
Farmer Mahmoud Maher of Salfit says the solution is simple: to get the Ministry to prevent oil pressing facilities from opening their doors until olives get ripe, and thus farmers will not be able to harvest their olives earlier. Workers who fear for the loss of their high wages they get for working inside 1948 occupied Palestine could give a chance to other workers, who do not work in 1948 occupied Palestine, to do the job.
Agricultural engineer Nasser Hamid from Nablus said that the solution is to increase the awareness and education of farmers, whether they work in 1948 occupied Palestine or not, and to increase the control of the village and municipal councils over the harvest and organization of the season of olive harvest, as what is happening in the city of Salfit, which prevents early olive picking and imposes fines on those who do not abide, thus organizing the whole season.
