West Bank olive farmers face deadly harvest amid settler violence

Palestinian olive farmers in the occupied West Bank are entering the official harvest season under threat of escalating settler violence. Since late September, two Palestinians have been killed and many more injured, including eight members of the Al Bazzari family during an October 7 raid near Nablus. Farmer Abdellatif Al Bazzari, 59, recounted how his cousin Ali, 44, bled to death after being shot by Israeli forces during the confrontation. The family said settlers beat them with metal and wooden objects and threw stones, while the Israeli military stated troops responded to rock-throwing that injured a settler. Al Bazzari alleged the army blocked an ambulance from reaching his dying cousin, a claim not addressed in the military statement. Olives represent roughly 15 percent of the West Bank's agricultural GDP, making the harvest critical to the Palestinian economy. With Israeli elections scheduled for October 27, some farmers fear Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu will avoid restraining settlers to secure right-wing votes, potentially worsening violence.