Live Update arrow right icon From the Liveblog of Saturday, October 10, 2026

Settlers, soldiers reportedly block Palestinians from picking olives near Ramallah

By Noam Lehmann Today, 9:52 am
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Settlers blocked Palestinians from picking olives in the Ramallah-area village of Burqa this morning, according to footage and reports in Palestinian media, amid repeated attacks on Palestinians in the nascent annual harvest season.

Burqa local council head Sayel Kanaan is cited by WAFA, the Palestinian Authority’s official news agency, as saying that a group of settlers entered the grove close to neighboring Deir Dibwan, accosted the olive pickers, forced them off the land and threatened them not to return. The agency notes that settlers allegedly set fire to homes in Burqa earlier this week.

A brief video published by Palestinian media from the scene in Burqa this morning shows Elisha Yered, a key settler organizer, using his phone to film the Palestinian man who captured the footage.

Yered stands alongside another settler, and behind them a third settler can be seen armed with what appears to be a military assault rifle.

The Palestinian man who captured the footage can be heard saying, “I’m barred from approaching. This is my land. You’re Elisha, correct?”

Elsewhere in the Ramallah area, WAFA reports Israeli soldiers prevented Palestinians from accessing the Palestinians’ land in the village of Kafr Ni’ma.

Footage shot from afar shows about a dozen people walking away from the military-controlled gate at the entrance to the village, as two soldiers stand in front of them and another four soldiers stand behind the gate. In another video from the scene, at least one gunshot can be heard.

Also near Ramallah, in Deir Abu Mashal, Israeli forces were filmed tossing a stun grenade at journalists covering the olive harvest. The forces used tear gas and rubber bullets, one of which hit Anadolu photojournalist Issam Rimawi in the thigh, according to reports and footage.

Palestinians are free to harvest olives in some areas of the West Bank, and are barred or required to coordinate with Israel’s Civil Administration in other areas.

It’s unclear which restrictions apply to the area in the footage from Burqa, Kafr Ni’ma and Deir Abu Mashal. The IDF does not immediately comment on any of the incidents.

Yered, who serves as an unofficial spokesman for the violent “Hilltop Youth” fringe, said on social media on Friday that “the coming Shabbat the violent provocations will come to a head with the official opening of the harvest season” in the West Bank.

“Dozens of terrorist incidents and violent attacks” were expected, he said, calling on supporters to “be vigilant, and of course give very limited credence to any libel that will be published in the left-wing media and on Arabic networks.”

Nurit Yohanan contributed to this report.

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