Israeli Bulldozers Uproot Olive Groves in West Bank Village

Israeli military bulldozers have uprooted and removed dozens of olive trees in the occupied West Bank, according to landowners in the village of Arraba in the northern West Bank.

Khalil al-Fari, an olive landowner, said the army issued an uprooting order about a month ago, in early August, and sent plans and maps to the municipality. He and other residents submitted objections to the municipality and the Israeli military coordination office, but received no response.

"The olive trees were planted with our blood and sweat," al-Fari said. He described how his brother, an expatriate, had worked hard to buy the land, and how his late mother had carried water on her head to nurture the trees for 30 years. "Then the occupation comes in five minutes and uproots all the olive trees," he added.

Another landowner, Hani Abeid, said he rents olive groves and employs six or seven workers during the harvest season. The loss of these trees, he said, directly affects his livelihood.

The Israeli military said the uprooting was carried out for operational needs.

For Palestinians, the olive harvest is a vital source of income, especially for farming families. The October harvest approaches amid rising settler violence and army raids across the West Bank. At least 87 Palestinians have been killed in attacks in 2026, while three Israelis have been killed by Palestinians in the territory, according to available figures.

Israel captured the West Bank, east Jerusalem, and the Gaza Strip in the 1967 Mideast war. Palestinians seek these territories for a future independent state.