Right to access land for Palestinian farmers during 2025 olive harvest

Urgent Call from the Palestinian Farmers Union

The olive harvest in Palestine is meant to be a season of life, dignity, and community. Instead, for the second year in a row, it comes under the shadow of violent attacks, military blockades, and the ongoing theft of our land.

Across the West Bank, Palestinian farmers are preparing to harvest their olives—a tradition that has sustained our people for centuries. Yet, instead of celebrating the fruit of their labor, they face armed settlers who assault them, destroy their trees, and steal their harvest, while Israeli occupation forces impose systematic “security closures” that cut them off from their own groves. This is not random; it is a deliberate strategy to break the bond between Palestinians and our land, clearing the way for annexation.

Last year, the Palestinian Farmers Union (PFU) warned the world. We called on governments, human rights organizations, and solidarity networks to act. The result? Attacks intensified. Settlers uprooted ancient olive trees, injured farmers, and destroyed livelihoods—often under the protection of the army.

This year, the danger is greater than ever. Illegal settler outposts have expanded. More Palestinian farmland is trapped behind military checkpoints and closed zones. Farmers are forced to harvest under armed escort, with only a few hours allowed—losing most of their crop. Others are denied access entirely. We say clearly:

PFU demands:

• Immediate international protection for Palestinian farmers during the olive harvest.
• Full, unrestricted access to all farmland year-round.
• Sanctions and Real accountability for settler crimes—investigations, prosecutions, and sanctions.
• Global solidarity actions to pressure Israel to end these systematic attacks and land seizures.
  

The olive tree is not just an agricultural crop—it is our history, our economy, our identity, and our future. Denying Palestinians, the right to farm their land is an assault on life itself.

We call on the world: Stand with Palestinian farmers. Raise your voices. Come to the fields. Demand action. Silence enables dispossession—your action can help stop it.

For more information please contact:

Abbas Milhem, Director of PFU

Contact info: Phone: +970 599 758 370

Email: abbas@pafu.ps