Israel has ordered the deportation of 32 foreign activists who were supporting Palestinian farmers during the olive harvest season in the occupied West Bank. The activists, who were arrested last week near the town of Burin, were protesting an Israeli general order that only those working on the harvest are allowed to be on the land.
Since the start of the current season, there have been 158 attacks by the Israeli army and settlers against olive pickers, resulting in at least 74 attacks targeting olive-growing lands. These attacks included beatings, mass arrests, and shootings, with a total of 765 olive trees destroyed. The assaults are part of a broader pattern of settler violence that has increased in scale and frequency.
According to the UN Human Rights Office, settler violence against Palestinians has worsened since the start of the war in Gaza, with over 1,000 Palestinians killed by Israeli forces or settlers since October 2023. Thousands of Palestinians have been forcibly displaced due to settler attacks, movement restrictions, and home demolitions.
The situation is particularly dire for Palestinian farmers, who rely on the olive harvest for their livelihoods. The UN estimates that 80,000 to 100,000 families depend on this income. Settler violence has made it increasingly difficult for them to access their land, leading to widespread destruction of crops and property.
The Israeli government's actions are seen as an attempt to intimidate and silence Palestinian farmers who are exercising their right to peaceful protest. The deportation order against the 32 foreign activists is a clear example of this policy. The activists were not participating in violent activities, but rather supporting Palestinian farmers and exercising their right to protest.
It remains to be seen how the international community will respond to this situation. However, it is clear that something needs to be done to address the escalating violence against Palestinians and protect their rights.
Since the start of the current season, there have been 158 attacks by the Israeli army and settlers against olive pickers, resulting in at least 74 attacks targeting olive-growing lands. These attacks included beatings, mass arrests, and shootings, with a total of 765 olive trees destroyed. The assaults are part of a broader pattern of settler violence that has increased in scale and frequency.
According to the UN Human Rights Office, settler violence against Palestinians has worsened since the start of the war in Gaza, with over 1,000 Palestinians killed by Israeli forces or settlers since October 2023. Thousands of Palestinians have been forcibly displaced due to settler attacks, movement restrictions, and home demolitions.
The situation is particularly dire for Palestinian farmers, who rely on the olive harvest for their livelihoods. The UN estimates that 80,000 to 100,000 families depend on this income. Settler violence has made it increasingly difficult for them to access their land, leading to widespread destruction of crops and property.
The Israeli government's actions are seen as an attempt to intimidate and silence Palestinian farmers who are exercising their right to peaceful protest. The deportation order against the 32 foreign activists is a clear example of this policy. The activists were not participating in violent activities, but rather supporting Palestinian farmers and exercising their right to protest.
It remains to be seen how the international community will respond to this situation. However, it is clear that something needs to be done to address the escalating violence against Palestinians and protect their rights.
I'm getting so frustrated with all this violence going on in the Middle East... like, can't we just talk things out?! 
32 foreign activists being deported for supporting Palestinian farmers who are just trying to make a living? It's crazy! 
Those poor farmers have it tough enough already, and then they get attacked and intimidated by settlers. It's not right. 
We need to stand up for these people and their rights. The international community needs to do more than just talk about it... we need action! 
What's going on is basically settler violence with a license to terrorize Palestinians, and it's got to stop ASAP. 
they're just trying to make a difference but are being shut down by the gov like that's all there is to it. what's next gonna be deporting journalists who wanna report on the situation? 
this isn't about security it's about silencing people who care about the Palestinians' lives. 
. The fact that there have been 158 attacks already this season is just devastating. I think we need to do more to help those farmers, like sending aid or pressure on the Israeli government to stop this settler violence 
. It's not fair to these families who are relying on their land for a living. We should be supporting them, not intimidating them 
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shouldn't they be able to help others in need without getting deported? 
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I mean, what's next? Silencing people from speaking out against injustice? It's all about suppressing the voices of Palestinians and intimidating them into silence.
We need to stand up for the Palestinian farmers and their right to peaceful protest! 
that's just insane. these farmers are basically just trying to make ends meet but they're being treated like they're a threat or something.
we can't just sit back and watch as Israel continues to bully and intimidate its own citizens (and anyone who supports them, it seems). it's time for some real change and accountability 
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... and now they're being sent back? 
the scale of settler violence is insane 
. It's just going to make things worse and show those farmers that they're not safe or supported 
This deportation order is just another example of Israel's heavy-handed tactics. What's next? Deporting people who speak out against human rights abuses?
I mean, can you believe Israel's gonna deport 32 activists for just trying to support some farmers? Like, I know they're trying to protect their olives (literally), but come on! It's like someone showing up at a farmer's market and saying "Sorry, buddy, you can't sell your fresh produce because it's not organic enough." 
But seriously, folks, it's time for the world to step in and help these guys out. Like, who needs more olive trees getting destroyed? 
ugh I cant even believe whats goin on in Israel rn... these 32 activists were just tryna help out some farmers who are already strugglin' 
now they're tryna silence anyone who speaks out against their actions 
. It's like they're saying "just sit back and do nothing" if you want to live in peace. I've been following this situation for a while now, and it's just getting worse and worse. The UN is talking about 1,000 Palestinians killed since October... that's just heartbreaking 
. It feels like we're watching a slow-motion disaster unfold, and I don't know how much more of this the world can take 
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. And let's not forget all the violence we've seen against olive pickers in the West Bank - beatings, mass arrests, shootings... it's like they're trying to create a war zone 
. We can't just sit back and watch as Palestinians are displaced, their crops destroyed, all because they're trying to make a living 
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! Settler violence is getting outta control - over 1k Palestinians killed and thousands displaced since Oct 2023 