Israeli Settlers Attack Palestinian Olive Harvesters in West Bank
Israeli settlers assaulted Palestinian farmers during the olive harvest in Turmus Ayya, resulting in serious injuries and property damage.
In Turmus Ayya, a town in the Israeli-occupied West Bank, Israeli settlers attacked Palestinian olive harvesters and activists, leading to serious injuries and property damage. The incident, captured on video, shows a masked individual assaulting at least two people with a club, including a woman who was left motionless on the ground. The Palestinian Health Ministry reported that the woman was hospitalized with serious injuries.
Additional footage depicts over a dozen masked men chasing a car along a village road adjacent to an olive grove. One settler struck the vehicle and opened its door, prompting a passenger to flee on foot, pursued by the group. Another video shows flames and smoke rising from several torched cars.
Ajith Sunghay, head of the U.N. Human Rights Office in the Palestinian territory, stated,
"Settler violence has skyrocketed in scale and frequency. Two weeks into the start of the 2025 harvest, we have already seen severe attacks by armed settlers against Palestinian men, women, children, and foreign solidarity activists."
Turmus Ayya, predominantly inhabited by Palestinian Americans, has experienced increased settler attacks, particularly during the olive harvest season. The town is surrounded by Israeli settlements and outposts. Since the killing of 14-year-old Palestinian-American Amer Rabee by Israeli forces in April, protests against settler violence and the military's perceived inaction have led to regular clashes.
The United Nations reports a 13% increase in settler attacks causing casualties or property damage in the first half of 2025 compared to the same period last year, totaling 757 incidents. During the initial week of the olive harvest, over 150 settler attacks have been documented, with more than 700 olive trees uprooted, broken, or poisoned, according to Muayyad Shaaban, head of a Palestinian Authority office monitoring the violence.
Israel's Channel 12 reported that the head of the West Bank police force expressed concern over the footage of the masked settler beating the woman and instructed officers to bring the perpetrator to justice. However, Israel's military and police did not respond to requests for comment on the attack.
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