Israeli settlers attacked Palestinian olive harvesters in the town of Turmus Ayya during the ongoing olive harvest, leading to serious injuries for at least one woman. The incident, which occurred on Sunday, was captured on video and has raised concerns over escalating violence in the Israeli-occupied West Bank. According to Palestinian health officials, the woman was hospitalized due to her injuries.
Escalation of Violence During Harvest Season
The attack comes as Palestinians report an uptick in settler violence during the olive harvest, a critical period for many farmers. The United Nations and various human rights organizations have expressed alarm at the situation. Ajith Sunghay, head of the U.N. Human Rights Office in the Palestinian territory, stated, “Settler violence has skyrocketed in scale and frequency.” He noted that just two weeks into the 2025 harvest, there have already been severe attacks against Palestinian farmers and foreign solidarity activists.
Footage obtained by the Associated Press shows a masked assailant attacking individuals in an olive grove, including a woman who appeared motionless on the ground. Another video depicts a group of more than a dozen masked men pursuing a car along a village road, with one settler violently striking the vehicle. A third video captured flames and smoke rising from several vehicles set ablaze.
Israel’s Channel 12 reported comments from an internal police group, where the head of the West Bank police force expressed distress over the video footage and urged officers to take action against the perpetrators.
Longstanding Tensions and Recent Incidents
The village of Turmus Ayya has a significant Palestinian American population and has long been subjected to settler violence. Residents claim that such incidents have intensified since the beginning of the recent conflict between Israel and Hamas. Tensions flared particularly after the killing of Amer Rabee, a 14-year-old Palestinian American, by Israeli forces in April. This event has sparked ongoing protests against perceived settler aggression and the military’s inability to mitigate it.
Overall, the situation in the West Bank reflects a broader trend, with the U.N. reporting that there have been 757 settler attacks resulting in casualties or property damage in the first half of 2025 alone. This figure marks a 13% increase compared to the same period last year. During the first week of the olive harvest, over 150 settler attacks were recorded, with more than 700 olive trees uprooted, broken, or poisoned, according to Muayyad Shaaban, who heads a monitoring office within the Palestinian Authority.
The West Bank, along with east Jerusalem and the Gaza Strip, has been under Israeli occupation since the 1967 Middle East war. Palestinians aspire to establish an independent state in these territories, while settler advocates hold significant positions within the Israeli government, influencing policy regarding the West Bank.
As the olive harvest continues, the risks facing Palestinian farmers remain high, with calls for international attention to the growing violence and its implications for the region.
