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‘They uprooted it all’: Israel bulldozes Palestinian-owned olive groves
Al Jazeera • • world
Key Points:
- Israeli army bulldozers have destroyed rows of olive trees in Deir Nidham, a village near Ramallah in the occupied West Bank, just as Palestinian farmers were preparing for their annual olive harvest.
- Palestinian farmers, including Abd Alfattah Tamimi and Nather Tamimi, reported the destruction targeted their family lands and was timed to cause maximum damage before the harvest season, which starts in October.
- The demolition included uprooting various trees even from between houses, severely impacting local olive oil production, which for some families amounts to about 120 drums annually.
- Israel’s military has not yet commented on the incident, but in the past, it has justified such actions by citing security concerns, while Palestinian groups argue this practice deprives farmers of income and severs their connection to the land.
- The Palestinian Authority reported that Israeli attacks in August damaged over 21,000 trees, mostly olive trees, and estimated that local olive production exceeds domestic demand, highlighting the economic importance of the crop.
