The Ministry of Agriculture: Damage Assessment Committee in Qalqilya documented the uprooting of hundreds of olive trees in Azzun.

Qalqilya: May 19, 2026

The committee tasked with assessing damage to the agricultural sector in Qalqilya Governorate, comprised of representatives from Qalqilya Directorate of Agriculture, the Wall and Settlement Resistance Commission, and the Directorate of Local Government, held a meeting to discuss mechanisms for documenting agricultural damage resulting from Israeli attacks in the governorate. This meeting was part of joint efforts to protect the agricultural sector and bolster the resilience of farmers.

Following the meeting, the committee, in cooperation with Azzun Municipality, conducted a field visit to Al-Salama and Al-Mahjar areas, adjacent to the Ma'ale Shomron settlement, to assess and document the damage inflicted on agricultural lands in the area.

During the visit, it was discovered that Israeli forces had uprooted hundreds of planted and mature olive trees as part of ongoing expansion work by the Israeli authorities. This has caused significant losses for farmers and directly impacted their livelihoods.

The committee clarified that the uprooting operations were carried out yesterday by Israeli bulldozers, following a notice issued to the Azzun Municipality approximately a month ago, which included a decision to confiscate the land for military purposes. The Ministry of Agriculture affirms that these violations are part of a systematic policy targeting agricultural lands and Palestinian farmers, stressing the importance of documenting the damages and reporting them to the relevant authorities, in addition to continuing to work on supporting the affected farmers and strengthening their resilience on their lands.