The olive harvest in the West Bank officially begins on 15 October, a season of deep economic and cultural significance for Palestinians. But escalating Israeli settler violence, military raids, access restrictions and settlement expansion — including the rapid establishment of dozens of outposts — are increasingly preventing Palestinians from reaching their farmlands. Many have started harvesting early to avoid drawing attention and reduce their exposure to settler and military violence.

The olive harvest offers a stark picture of a wider crisis: Israeli policies are entrenching annexation and increasingly cutting Palestinians off from their livelihoods and their land. A recent survey of 29 Palestinian and international NGOs shows how these same restrictions and threats are obstructing humanitarian operations and forcing organisations to delay, relocate, scale back or suspend services.

Moderator

Shaina Low, Communication Adviser, Norwegian Refugee Council

Speakers include

• Faten Isaed, Programs and Projects Manager, Local Communities Organization
• Bushra Khalidi, Global Humanitarian Policy Lead, Oxfam
• Abbas Melhelm, Executive Director, Palestinian Farmers’ Union
• Allegra Pacheco, Chief of Party, West Bank Protection Consortium

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