At least three Palestinians were wounded when a group of Israeli colonizers attacked Palestinian farmers as they were harvesting their olives on Saturday in Burqa village, east of Ramallah. They also attacked international observers who had come to protect the farmers as they harvested their olives.
According to Palestinian Minister Walid Asssaf, Chairman of the Committee Against Israeli Settlements, the Israeli soldiers assaulted the Palestinian farmers and international supporters who accompanied them.
The soldiers fired teargas, rubber-coated steel bullets and stun grenades at the farmers and international volunteers to disperse them from the olive orchards.
At least three Palestinians were injured in the attack. In addition, dozens of people suffered from teargas inhalation.
The olive harvesting event was called by the Committee Against Israeli Settlements, following the Israeli authority’s decision to deny the Palestinian farmers access to their orchards for the past several days – during the height of the olive harvest.
The olive harvest must take place during a short period of time in October in order for it to be successful. A large part of the Palestinian economy depends on the olive harvest, which generates the olives used to make olive oil for export.
In recent weeks, Israeli settlers have engaged in numerous attacks on Palestinian farmers attempting to harvest their olives.
Assaf told the Palestinian Wafa News Agency that the Committee plans to hold more events like this one in the coming day, in order to ensure that Palestinian farmers will be able to harvest their olives, and to confirm Palestinian steadfastness in the face of Israeli oppression of their rights.
