Ajith Sunghay said on Tuesday that “Settler violence has skyrocketed in scale and frequency, with the acquiescence, support and, in many cases, participation of Israeli security forces. – and always with complete impunity.
During the first half of 2025 alone, there were 757 settler attacks causing casualties or material damage – a 13 percent increase compared to the same period last year.
“Two weeks into the 2025 harvest, we have already witnessed serious attacks by armed settlers against Palestinian men, women, children and foreign solidarity activists,” he added.
Lost crops, destroyed land
According to OHCHR According to the data, 96,000 dunums (approximately 9,600 hectares) of olive groves were not harvested in 2023, resulting in more than $10 million in losses for Palestinian farmers – a trend that has continued until 2024.
“Direct land destruction is also intensifying“, Sunghay said. “The settlers burned groves, sawed down olive trees and destroyed houses and agricultural infrastructure.”
He highlighted the broader toll of the occupation, noting that since October 2023, more than 1,000 Palestinians were killed by Israeli forces or settlers in the West Bank, while thousands of people have been displaced by attacks, movement restrictions and house demolitions.
“Livelihood and lineage”
“Here, the olive tree is never just a tree,” reflects Sunghay. “It is a livelihood and a lineage, a resilience and an economy, and a historical vein that connects Palestinians to the land. »
He said that up to 100,000 families depend on the olive harvest for their livelihood, describing it as “the economic backbone of rural Palestinian communities.”
OHCHR, he said, is working with partners to strengthen monitoring, provide legal assistance and maintain a protective presence for farmers and landowners.
Mr. Sunghay warned that the rise in settler violence is occurring “in the context of a accelerated Israeli land grab”, with officials “openly declaring their intention to annex the entire West Bank.”
He reiterated that Israel “has a legal obligation to end the occupation and reverse the annexation,” and urged member states to “exert maximum pressure to protect civilians, end and reverse these policies, and ensure that those responsible for decades of violations are held accountable.”
“And yes,” he concludes, “it starts with olives. »
Originally published at Almouwatin.com
