Settler Attacks Surge in Palestine During Olive Harvest

Dozens of Israeli settlers set fire to a warehouse, farmland, and a Bedouin village in the northern West Bank on Tuesday, injuring several Palestinians. The attacks come amid a spike in violence during the olive harvest, a time when farmers return to their land.

Footage shows masked men torching property in Beit Lid and Deir Sharaf, with women shouting in the background. Palestinian officials call the attacks part of a campaign to intimidate communities and create a hostile environment.

The IDF intervened, dispersing crowds and arresting some settlers, while Israeli police confirmed four arrests. President Isaac Herzog condemned the violence as “shocking and serious,” and Major-General Avi Bluth warned such acts threaten regional stability.

The UN reports over 260 settler attacks in October alone, with thousands of olive trees destroyed and more than 140 Palestinians injured. Human rights groups warn that most cases result in no indictments, fueling fears of impunity.

During the harvest, both Palestinian farmers and international volunteers have been targeted. Recently, hundreds mourned 13-year-old Aysam Mualla, who fell into a coma after inhaling tear gas near the settler outpost of Evyatar.

The surge in violence highlights the urgent need for protection of Palestinians and accountability for attacks that continue to devastate communities across the West Bank.