‘Ein Yabrud, Ramallah District: Israeli settlers harvest more than 25 olive trees belonging to Palestinians and steal crop; 16 other trees damaged by wastewater from nearby settlement

On Monday, 21 November 2022, residents of ‘Ein Yabrud went to their land, which lies southeast of the village, with military permission as they are barred access to the land without the military’s approval. When they arrived, they found about four settlers who had harvested more than 25 olive trees in their groves. When the settlers noticed the farmers, they stole the olives they had picked and ran away. Later, villagers discovered that wastewater discharged from Ofra, a settlement built east of their groves, had flooded their land, damaging 16 of their olive trees so they could not be harvested.

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Israel’s regime of apartheid and occupation is inextricably bound up in human rights violations. B’Tselem strives to end this regime, as that is the only way forward to a future in which human rights, democracy, liberty and equality are ensured to all people, both Palestinian and Israeli, living between the Jordan River and the Mediterranean Sea.

Since the Hamas attack on 7 October 2023, Israel has acted in a coordinated and deliberate manner to destroy Palestinian society in the Gaza Strip, committing genocide against its residents. In light of Israel’s actions in Gaza, the public statements made by Israeli decision-makers, and the international community’s failure to take effective action, there is a serious risk that the Israeli regime will expand the genocide to other areas under its control—first and foremost, the West Bank.
B’Tselem calls on the Israeli public and the international community to use every tool available under international law to bring an immediate end to Israel’s genocide against the Palestinian people.