By Were Kelly
Palestinian farming families in the occupied West Bank are confronting profound cultural and economic loss as centuries-old olive groves are being systematically uprooted by Israeli authorities and settlers.
The destruction of the trees, which represent both a vital source of income and a deep-rooted symbol of heritage, is being denounced by communities as an act of cultural erasure.
The raids, which have intensified in recent weeks, have seen olive trees, some hundreds of years old,bulldozed or cut down, often on disputed land or areas designated for military use by the Israeli authorities.
For these farming communities, the annual olive harvest is not merely an economic activity but a sacred ritual that connects them to their land and ancestry. “These roots are our history,uproot them, and you uproot us,” said a third-generation farmer, standing amidst the stumps of his family’s grove.
The economic impact is devastating, with the olive oil industry generating over $10 million annually for the Palestinian economy. The loss of these trees wipes out generations of investment and a primary source of sustenance for countless families.
The acts have drawn condemnation from human rights groups, which document the incidents as part of a broader pattern of displacement and pressure on Palestinian communities in Area C of the West Bank.
An Israeli military spokesman stated the removals were carried out for “security purposes” or because the plantings were conducted without the required permits,permits that Palestinians argue are nearly impossible to obtain.
The situation on the ground remains tense, with the seasonal harvest, once a time of celebration, now overshadowed by anxiety and conflict.
As the cycles of planting and harvest are violently interrupted, the destruction of the olive groves represents a battle over landscape, memory, and the very identity of those who have cultivated the land for generations.
Source: Al Jazeera
