In the northern occupied West Bank, settlers from an illegal outpost near the village of Qaryut have been filmed beating olive trees with sticks and bragging about producing 'Pure Olive Oil' from groves they do not own. The video, shared in settler groups, shows Avichai Suissa, an Israeli settler sanctioned by the European Union, the United Kingdom, and previously the United States, along with another man. 'We're gradually starting to work our way into the area,' Suissa says in the video.
Palestinian activist Bashar Qaryouti said the land belongs to residents of Qaryut who have not been able to reach it since October 2023. 'A few months ago, farmers tried to plough their land, but the army stopped them. After we complained, the army declared the area a closed military zone a few days ago, so settlers are going to other lands, to other olives to steal,' Qaryouti explained.
On Wednesday, armed settlers on tractors raided lands between Ramin and Burqa, opening fire on farmers. Ali Bazzari was killed. His family said his only 'crime' was trying to harvest his olives. Many Palestinians in the West Bank describe this year as the worst yet in terms of settler attacks on the harvest, which has barely started.