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olive trees

Khaled Shamlawi near uprooted olive trees in the West Bank village of Haris, on May 13, 2026. (Nurit Yohanan/Times of Israel)
May 24, 2026, 9:04 am
Citing security, IDF appears to sharply accelerate uprooting of West Bank olive trees
Palestinians and activists say the military is razing trees on private land at an unprecedented pace, questioning whether claims they provide cover for attacks justify the widespread campaign
By Nurit Yohanan
A Civil Administration excavator uproots a Palestinian olive tree in the northern West Bank, May 7, 2026. (Courtesy)
May 8, 2026, 1:27 am
Smotrich announces uprooting of 3,000 trees planted by Palestinians in northern West Bank
Civil Administration says trees’ removal, latest in a series of such actions, will enable the creation of a new settlement; 3 Palestinians reportedly injured in settler attack
By Jeremy Sharon, Nurit Yohanan, Emanuel Fabian and ToI Staff
Palestinian men check olive trees reportedly uprooted by Israeli soldiers using a bulldozer in the West Bank village of Al-Mughayyir, north of Ramallah, on August 24, 2025. (Zain JAAFAR / AFP)
August 24, 2025, 2:48 pm
IDF uproots thousands of West Bank olive trees after Palestinian shooting attack
Military denies move is collective punishment, after commander vowed al-Mughayyir will ‘pay heavy price’ for resident shooting at Israelis last week
By Nurit Yohanan and Emanuel Fabian
Wild olive trees exposed to westerly winds from the Mediterranean at Atlit, northern Israel, have taken on strange shapes, February 17, 2025. (Sue Surkes/Times of Israel)
March 8, 2025, 11:14 am
Experts unite to protect what could be the last wild olive trees in Israel – or the world
The largest known population of the ancient plants grows on fossilized sand ridges in the north and could prove helpful for the olive industry during climate change, researchers say
By Sue Surkes
The olive harvest outside the Palestinian village of Battir in the West Bank in November 2024. Khaled Muammer (center) oversees the harvest of his olives, November 7, 2024. (Jeremy Sharon/The Times of Israel)
November 25, 2024, 1:05 pm
Tranquil day of olive harvesting belies mounting difficulties for Palestinian growers
Severe restrictions on movement and intense settler violence are curtailing the ability of farmers to cultivate their land and reap a major source of income
By Jeremy Sharon
Groves of olive trees in the lower Galilee, northern Israel, February 7, 2019. (Hadas Parush/Flash90)
March 12, 2024, 11:17 pm
Impact of olive oil shortage on Israel could have been averted, industry chief says
Head of olive division at Israel Plant Council accuses government of abandoning farmers, who could make Israel a global olive oil power
By Sue Surkes
US-born Israeli Reform rabbi Arik Ascherman helps Palestinians during the olive harvest at a grove outside Ramallah in the West Bank on November 9, 2023. (Photo by Aris MESSINIS / AFP)
November 13, 2023, 12:00 am
Activist Israeli rabbi helps Palestinian farmers in West Bank facing settler violence
Arik Ascherman of Rabbis for Human Rights condemns Oct. 7 massacre, while saying Israelis ‘not prepared to distinguish between Palestinian terrorists, terrorized Palestinians’
By Agencies
FILE: Olive growers and workers harvesting the Koroneiki Olive Variety at an olive grove in Moshav Eliad in the southern Golan Heights in December 2022 (Photo by Michael Giladi/Flash90)
March 14, 2023, 5:52 pm
With olives pressed and picked, local farmers hope consumers discover oil in Israel
Olive growers and oil producers seek greater exposure for their product, cultivated and pressed in small batches but suffering from competition with cheaper, lower-quality imports
By Jessica Steinberg
Settler youth seen confronting a Palestinian farmer in a Palestinian-owned olive grove in the West Bank, as farmers said they found dozens of trees cut down in Turmus Ayya, near Ramallah, November 7, 2022. (Video screenshot)
November 7, 2022, 7:43 pm
Palestinians say settlers destroy dozens of olive trees, harass farmers
Palestinian landowner claims 116 olive trees destroyed on his land outside town of Turmus Ayya. Video footage shows settler youths harassing, taunting Palestinian farmers
By Jeremy Sharon
Settlers are seen assaulting a woman near the West Bank town of Kisan, October 18, 2022. (WAFA)
October 26, 2022, 5:42 pm
Elderly activist beaten by settlers: Cruelty happening in those hills all the time
Hagar Gefen, 70, says she was attacked in the West Bank on October 18 for taking footage of extremists’ onslaught against Palestinian olive harvesters
By Jack Mukand
Illustrative: Olives being harvested in the Jordan Valley, November 05, 2017. (Yaniv Nadav/FLASH90)
June 16, 2022, 6:01 am
Study: World’s first cultivated fruit trees planted 7,000 years ago in Jordan Valley
Analysis of charcoal from Tel Tsaf dig reveals olive and fig tree wood, indicating first examples of orchards in an advanced, wealthy society
By Sue Surkes
Ancient olive pits found off the coast of Haifa, believed to be some 6,600 years old (Courtesy University of Haifa)
February 3, 2021, 4:38 am
Rewriting history, evidence of olive consumption 6,600 years ago found off Haifa
Discovery of pits in ancient submerged structures predates previously known use of olives for food by 4,000 years
By ToI Staff
An olive tree surrounded by spring blooms in the Galilee, northern Israel, February 10, 2008. (Nati Shohat/Flash90)
January 28, 2021, 6:10 pm
Olive voted as national tree to mark Tu Bishvat
With arbor ardor running high, tens of thousands of Israelis choose symbol of peace in KKL-JNF survey, helping it beat out Tabor, palm and lowly fig
By Sue Surkes
David Kishik-Cohen at his olive grove outside the Kochav Hashahar settlement. (via WhatsApp)
May 28, 2020, 1:49 pm
Ex-chief West Bank land inspector planted groves on Palestinian ground
Former head of Defense Ministry body that supervises land use grew olive trees on the plots while serving in the post 30 years ago, continues to work them
By Jacob Magid
A tree in the Palestinian village of Burin, in the northern West Bank, that was badly damaged in an alleged settler hate crime. (courtesy Yesh Din)
November 11, 2019, 3:40 pm
Palestinian olive groves vandalized amid spate of settler hate crimes
Rights group says nearly 100 trees on privately owned farms in northern West Bank chopped into pieces, causing severe damage during annual harvest
By Tamar Pileggi
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