Amid settler attacks, police block left-wing activists from West Bank olive harvest

The Israel Defense Forces announced a new closed military zone around the Palestinian village of Burin in the West Bank on Friday, shortly before hundreds of left-wing activists and volunteers were due to arrive to assist Palestinians with their olive harvest.

The visit had been planned as part of a broad effort to help Palestinians safely harvest their olives against the backdrop of repeated violence against the harvesters at the hands of extremist Israelis.

The blockade of the activists came amid accusations that the security forces have repeatedly failed to stop extremist settlers from carrying out the attacks.

After being prevented from reaching their destination, the activists staged an impromptu protest, where they were joined by MK Gilad Kariv of the left-wing Democrats alliance.

The IDF has issued several closed military zone orders throughout the West Bank since the start of the olive harvest season last month, many of which prevented Palestinians from reaching their own land to harvest olives, after what was already a difficult growing season due to low rainfall last winter.

Friday’s effort to assist Palestinians from Burin, near Nablus, was arranged by left-wing groups Peace Now and Rabbis for Human Rights, along with others. In total, seven busloads of activists were expected to join the harvest.

They were not informed of the closed military zone in advance, with the IDF and Israel Police instead choosing to stop the buses mid-route, while they were already traveling through the West Bank.

Peace Now shared a photo on X of the closed military zone order that was handed to its activists, pointing out that no similar order had been handed down to extremist settlers, whom it said were still “roaming freely” despite the spate of violent attacks against Palestinians.

לא יאומן – הוציאו לנו עכשיו צו הגבלת תנועה!

המחבלים מהמאחזים עדיין מסתובבים חופשי אבל 7 אוטובוסים של פעילי שלום עוצרים במחסום.
ממשלת הטרור היהודי pic.twitter.com/HA835HmSVm

— שלום עכשיו (@PeaceNowIL) November 14, 2025

Responding to a query from The Times of Israel, the IDF claimed it had issued the closed military zone order ahead of the activists’ arrival due to “a rise in both the number and severity of violent incidents” during the olive harvest this year.

The military said that the order followed a period of tension during which Israeli forces dealt with friction between Israelis and Palestinians, and that it was decided as a result to restrict access to the olive harvest for anyone who is not a resident of the area or a landowner.

“The decision was made following a situation assessment and in light of the forces available in the area, for the sake of public safety,” it said.

Unable to continue further but unwilling to turn back, the hundreds of activists decided to instead stage an impromptu protest against unchecked settler violence and what they said was selective enforcement, as other vehicles were allowed to continue driving beyond the point their buses had been stopped.

According to Ynet, the activists succeeded in blocking traffic around several West Bank security checkpoints for about 20 minutes before the roads reopened and the protesters were relegated to the side.

The protesters were joined by Kariv, who accused the police of “preventing legitimate political action.”

“We are witnessing the political takeover of the Israel Police by [National Security Minister Itamar] Ben Gvir and his gang,” Kariv fumed. “The stopping of the buses on their way to the harvest was done arbitrarily and with the clear aim of preventing legitimate political action.”

He suggested that the West Bank police forces should “show the same determination they are demonstrating here toward the extremist settlers who commit nationalist crimes every day throughout the territories.”

Friday was not the first time that the IDF has imposed restrictions on accessing Palestinian olive groves this season. While the military claims that it is issuing the orders to prevent clashes between harvesters and settlers, activists and locals have charged that attacks by Israeli extremists have continued unabated.

Earlier this month, 15 people were injured in several settler attacks, including Palestinians, Israeli and foreign activists, and a Reuters press photographer. An off-duty IDF reservist who was aiding the harvest and a Palestinian Red Crescent medic were also injured.

Footage from the attacks near Burin and neighboring Beita showed masked men beating Palestinians with clubs.

In other instances, settlers have been recorded tearing down or burning olive trees.

The attacks on the olive harvest are part of a wider rise in settler attacks against Palestinians, which has gone virtually unchecked, despite recent condemnation from IDF Chief Eyal Zamir and President Isaac Herzog, both of whom cast the settler violence as the work of a few extremists.