Ministry of Agriculture: The local committee for the national olive-harvesting campaign in Bethlehem continues its activities for the third consecutive day in Beit Fajjar.

Bethlehem: November 3, 2026

On Tuesday, the local committee for the National Olive Harvest Campaign in Bethlehem Governorate continued the third day of its activities in the town of Beit Fajjar, located in the southern part of the governorate. The event saw broad participation from both official and public sectors and was held under the auspices of the Minister of Agriculture, Professor Rizq Slaimiya, and the Governor of Bethlehem, Mr. Mohammed Taha Abu Alia, in cooperation with Beit Fajjar Municipality.

Participants included the Director of Bethlehem Directorate of Agriculture, Engineer Abdel Wahab Halayqa, along with the directorate staff; a representative from Bethlehem Governorate; representatives from the Commission Against the Wall and Settlements and the Environment Quality Authority; the mayor and members of the Beit Fajjar Municipal Council; as well as teams from the Palestine Red Crescent Society, local residents, and volunteers from the area.

The participants headed to agricultural lands in Wadi Seif area to provide direct support and assistance to farmers in harvesting their olives. This effort aimed to help the farmers access their land and maintain their connection to it, despite the various challenges and threats they face.

During the event, the farmers and local residents encountered attempts to obstruct their work and faced harassment from settlers arriving from a nearby settlement. The settlers sought to drive them off their land and prevent them from continuing the olive harvest, all while under the protection of Israeli occupation forces. Despite these harassments, the participants maintained their presence on the ground, continuing to support the farmers. They underscored the importance of combining official and grassroots efforts to assist farmers, strengthen their resilience on their land, and preserve the olive tree, an integral part of Palestinian identity and heritage, and a vital source of livelihood for thousands of families.