Olive harvest 2025 under attack (West Bank)

The olive harvest is culturally, economically, and socially vital for many Palestinian communities. However, the 2025 season is expected to be subject to heightened risks. These stem from a combination of settler violence, restrictions on land access, environmental factors (including pests and climate change), and governance/policy issues.

Palestinian farmers experience frequent attacks during harvest time: vandalism of trees, burning or cutting down of trees, theft of crops, and intimidation. In many incidents, Israeli settlers are accompanied by Israeli occupation forces or benefit from insufficient protection by authorities. Some communities are identified as "hotspots" where violence or harassment recurs annually—especially villages near settlements, bypass roads, or in areas with settlement outposts. Certain governorates are likely to be more affected: Nablus, Ramallah, Hebron, Salfit, Qalqilya, and Tulkarem among them, especially for communities close to settlements or outposts.

Restrictions on Land Access: Many farmers are being denied or delayed access to their olive groves, especially where lands are near or behind settlements, barriers, or within Area C. Checkpoints, gates, and the requirement for permits (“prior coordination”) often limit access; in some cases entire orchards are inaccessible during the harvest. These restrictions negatively affect not only harvesting but all preparatory agricultural activities (pruning, fertilizing, pest control). Reduced maintenance further diminishes productivity.

Economic & Livelihood Impacts: Loss of harvest due to the above risks translates directly into financial harm: lost olive oil production, loss of trees (which are long‐term assets), missed market revenues. Many families rely heavily on olives and olive oil as a primary source of income; disruptions in harvest can undermine food security, household income, and cultural practices. The combination of environmental stressors (pests, climate) on top of security and access issues may lead to significantly lower yields in affected areas, potentially large economic losses and deeper food security challenges for vulnerable households.

Policy, Legal, and Institutional Risks: Permitting systems, zoning, rules about coordination for land access are sometimes arbitrary or revoked, making future planning difficult. These attacks or property damage often go without accountability.