Hundreds of Israeli settler attacks target Palestinian farmers across West Bank amid olive harvest

Israeli settlers have escalated a campaign of violence and harassment against Palestinian olive farmers in the occupied West Bank during the olive harvest season, with over 250 attacks reported this year alone. These attacks include assaults on farmers, theft of olives and equipment, arson of vehicles, destruction of thousands of olive trees, and obstruction of land access, often occurring under the watch or protection of Israeli military forces. In multiple incidents, including in towns such as Atara, Surif, and al-Sawiya, settlers torched vehicles, spray-painted racist slogans, and violently attacked Palestinians, with some victims requiring hospitalization. The United Nations and Israeli monitoring groups highlight the impunity settlers and soldiers enjoy despite these violent acts. Separately, Israeli forces conducted a counterterrorism operation in the northern West Bank, resulting in the deaths of three Palestinians during a military raid in the village of Kafr Qud, part of ongoing Israeli military activity in the region. These developments underscore increasing tensions and violence in the West Bank amid critical agricultural and political dynamics.