Israel arrests 36 Palestinians in the West Bank, attacks on farmers ramp up

As attacks on Palestinian farmers and their lands during the olive harvest season ramp up, israeli forces have arrested 36 Palestinians during raids throughout the occupied West Bank.

Key points

• In Jenin governorate, Israeli forces raided towns and villages on Thursday, arresting 10 Palestinians, the Palestinian news agency Wafa documented, citing data from the Palestinian Prisoner's Society.
• The incidents were recorded throughout occupied West Bank governorates, including Hebron, Qalqilya, Nablus, Ramallah and el-Bireh, Jenin and Salfit.
• In Nablus and Jerusalem, three more Palestinians were arrested during Israeli raids in the village of Burin, the town of Awarta, and the Qalandiya refugee camp.
• Israeli attacks on Palestinian farmers garnered international attention and condemnation.

Israeli forces additionally raided the town of Tuqu in the Hebron governorate on Thursday and arrested former prisoner Shorok al-Badan, along with five others from other parts of Hebron, according to Wafa.

While Wafa documented that three other Palestinians were arrested throughout the Hebron governorate, citing a security source, the Colonization and Wall Resistance Commission remarked on Thursday that Israeli forces arrested 14 residents in Khirbet Jawaya village of Masafer Yatta in Hebron.

In practice, the Colonization and Wall Resistance Commission remarked it documented 17 pogroms by Israeli forces and settlers on Thursday against Palestinian farmers and their land during the olive harvest.

Notably, the incidents were recorded throughout occupied West Bank governorates, including Hebron, Qalqilya, Nablus, Ramallah and el-Bireh, Jenin and Salfit.

As well as arrests, threats at gunpoint and live fire, according to the Commission, the attacks included assaults on farmers, preventing them from reaching their land, theft of crops and agricultural equipment, damage and burning of olive trees.

Notably, the Commission notes the pattern represents an escalation in attacks targeting the olive harvest and undermines Palestinians' ability to access and cultivate their land and maintain their livelihoods.

Israeli attacks on Palestinian farmers garnered international attention and condemnation. US Democratic congressional candidate Brad Lander was briefly detained on Wednesday by the Israeli military with a warning while volunteering to support Palestinian farmers harvest olives in the occupied West Bank.

For now, israel arrests 36 Palestinians in the West Bank, attacks on farmers ramp remains the part of the story worth watching, and further updates are likely as more details are confirmed.