This year's olive harvest: October, 2009 in Retrospect.
A bad olive harvest and depleted access to agricultural lands has left Palestine with a deficit of 10,000 tons of olive oil.

Head of the council of the Palestinian olive oil Nabih Ath-Thib said he expected the total olive harvest would yield approximately 5,000 tons, short of the 15,000 he said was needed to cover the needs of Palestinians in Green-line Palestine (West Bank including Jerusalem, Gaza).
Some Palestinian sources say this was the worst harvest in 40 years.
Why?
Firstly this is an "off" year in the two year growth cycle of the olive trees. Secondly, the drought of the last few years has taken its toll. Thirdly,despite claims by the IDF to the contrary, restrictions of access by Palestinian farmers to fields, particularly along the "seam" between the security fence and the green line have increased,. fourthly, vandalism and violence from extremist settlers has continued this year, and in some places worsened (Burin for instance lost about 400 trees which went up in flames just before the harvest season as part if the "Price tag").
It is in this context that RHR's leading role in the field during the harvest season, as well as before and after it has been crucial.
We initiated meetings with the army and police authorities before the season, as well as contact with some 30 villages in preparation. We have sent out a few hundred volunteers (averaging about 16 a day, but reaching up to 50 on Fridays) almost daily since hol haMoed sukkot to accompany Palestinian farmers in problem areas, such as the Detroit "road" (Awwarta,), Jamain, Jit, Tal, Kadum (next to Havat Gilad and Kedumim), Isawya (near Shvut Rachel), Ein Abus (Yitzhar), Krayut (Itamar), Susya (settlement of same name), and others. We have maintained constant contact with many other villages, intervening where necessary with the DCO, local army units and calling the police where there has been settler violence or vandalism. We have encouraged farmers to lodge complaints, and our legal department has actively followed up on land disputes with settlers.
Despite claims that army security arrangements were greatly improved this year - which was true, briefly, during the first days of the harvest in known trouble spots, such as Havat Gilad, Yitzhar, Susya, nevertheless there were some 20 incidents, mostly in places where there was no presence of outside or Israeli volunteers. The army often did not give farmers enough time to harvest their olives, and hampered attempts to coordinate new dates in cases which "fell between the cracks'.
We have successfully attracted international and local media attention to these problems during the harvest, and only hope (we will work on this, of course!) that the needs of vulnerable Palestinian farmers in the occupied Palestinan areas, under constant pressure from the army and settlers, will not be forgotten as the rest of the agricultural cycle continues with less media attention.
I would like to take this opportunity to thank our many devoted volunteers from near and from afar who have risen early, some of them daily, and spent time and energy to help us in doing this important mitzva, as well as our dedicated staff,, both in the field, in particular Zakkaria, and in the office, in particular Rivka, without whom this act of Tikkun Olam would not have been possible.

On Friday the IDF attempted to evict farmers harvesting their groves near Kdumim. Due to our intervention they continued to work. Near the settlement Shvut Rachel settlers drove out Palestinian farmers from their lands. Following our intervention the IDF escorted the farmer back to their lands and they continued their work.

On Sunday and Monday 12 of our volunteers joined farmers in Jit near Kdumim, and the harvest was carried out successfully.

On Tuesday farmers coordinated with the security forces and worked in Krayut north-east of the settlement Shvut Rachel. For many years farmers have not entered their lands there.
At the same time the IDF permitted settlers from Shvut Rachel to have a procession, and when the Palestinian farmers reached the road they had to cross to reach their lands the settlers blocked their path with their vehicles. The settlers then attacked the Palestinians with stones and other objects. The Palestinians did not manage to defend themselves and were chased by the settlers back to their village. As a result of the settlers' attack a 15 year old girl was hurt in her eye but luckily did not lose it. A Palestinian farmer had his rib broken.
The security forces arrived at the scene to restore order, but they too attacked the Palestinians. Most of the injuries Palestinians suffered were from the security forces attacks. When RHR volunteers arrived the settlers were gone. The volunteers together with Zacharia mediated between the farmers and the IDF. The Palestinians refused to return to their homes without harvesting their olives, and one Palestinian was arrested for allegedly attacking a police officer and throwing stones.
Finally the IDF permitted the Palestinian farmers to carry out their work. On Wednesday our volunteers joined these farmers in their groves and everything has been going smoothly so far.

On Wednesday 28.10.09 the harvest was carried out in Krayut and Singil. In Singil there were no problems, and most of the effort was spent in salvaging the olives from the trees that were cut down and from the ground. In krayut near the groves and along the road there was “heavy” security by the IDF, police, and border police. We walked down the road that serves the settlements and were stopped by the border police. After a conversation with Zacharia they allowed us to accompany the farmers and enter the area (300 meters from the settlement road), on the condition that we would leave if problems would arise with the settlers. We agreed and began our work. Around noon settlers arrived on two tractors mocking the Palestinians and claiming the entire land was theirs. We summoned the border police who calmed them down. They returned after some time and afterward the border police stayed nearby and the problem was solved.  One of the settlers we encountered yesterday was identified as the settler who hit one of the Palestinian women- a case that was never followed up on by the police. At 4 PM we completed our work and left.

On many of the trees (10-50%) the olives were already rotten by the time we came to harvest them. After a conversation with the farmers it became evident that this is because the harvest began about a month after it should have.
We have also worked in Turmus-Aya and Mughaier
 

16-22/10/09
Friday, 16 we worked in the area of Jit and Asawia. One farmer wanted to get to his land near the houses of Palgei Maim outpost. We did not get in because it is a closed zone (for us). The farmer tried to work but returned in few minutes, saying he saw seven settlers. We called the DCO and were told that he is allowed to worked, and security forces are around. Rabbi Ascherman's requests to enter the area, or that the security forces show themselves so the farmer could know he is secured were refused.
 

Saturday, 17: the harvest coalition worked the area of Kahin. Farmers from Safa tried to get to their land and were asked to leave.
Sunday:We worked in Jit, Awarta, As Sawiya and Ynun.  Apart from problems with the army in Tzir Detroit, who claimed the area was closed to Israelis, the day went by peacefully. A lot of soldiers were in evidence during the day.
Monday: In Safa area the army did not allow us in, but instead of leaving we stayed nearby and observed. The farmers continued working.
In Kariut two Palestinian women were expelled from their trees, near Shvut Rachel, a ladder was damaged by soldiers. After intervention on our part they were allowed to return. A complaint was lodged.
Worked in Isawya and Jit, as well, without incident. 
 

Tuesday, 20th Oct. Worked in Kriut, Jit,Ynun and Safa. We’ve split to two groups, the major one to Jit-Kadum, the other (6) to Kriut. We observed and took photos of two different settlers, arriving 40 meters from us at the wings and continuously watching us while on their cellphones. 

Wednesday,21: One group worked east of Kedumim in the valley below their vineyard without any special problems. The second group worked right next to the side gate of Kedumim, near the olivepress of Jit. There they were watched suspiciously by settlers for a while, without incident. A little later an army patrol stopped by and told them to move away from the road - three rows.
We found out that settlers were harvesting olives near Kariut, near road 60, in the area which they are overtaking lands. We applied to the DCO. DCO arrived to the place, stopped the harvest and demanded ownership proof.
 

Thursday: Three groups: one went early to Beit Omar where the army kicked out the Israelis and internationals, after a few hours. The Palestinian family continued working a little longer under army protection while sellers from Bat Ayin cursed and yelled at them.
2 Two other groups went up to Jit- Kadum area, two sides of Kedumim, as on Wednesday. Army patrol threatened the Palestinian farmers if they continued working east of Kadumim vineyard, but they continued nevertheless. The army patrol returned after a while, but our volunteers contacted RHR staff who intervened. The army left and days harvest continued uneventfully until 16:00 when the soldiers returned, to badger the farmers again. A complaint about this harassment was lodged with the DCO and local field unit commander
 

9-15 Oct. 2009 
Last Friday, Palestinians harvested in Awarta. The harvest went peacefully, but the army threatened again to arrest our volunteers, claiming the closed military zone is much bigger that it’s real size. At the end of the day, Rabbi Ascherman ran to Jama’in when a settler came and tried to threaten people, and then probably stole half a bag of olives from one family.
The army said there were no settlers, and that they asked the Palestinians to leave because no prior arrangements were made for that day. Anyway, the international volunteers that were with the farmers took photos of that settler, who wasn’t on uniforms. The day after, a bigger group of settlers returned to the place, and the farmers from whom they stole the olives will complain.
The coalition for the harvest worked during Shabat in Ga’ayus.
On Sunday, we worked in Tal with a family, under the hill of Havat Gilad. They said they don’t go often to that plot, because they are afraid of the settlers from Havat Gilad. Everything went quietly. We worked in Awarta and Jamain. It went peacefully. The farmers in Burin finished the harvest in the area that goes up to Itzhar. Internationals worked with other farmers in Kadum. The soldiers threatened one farmer from Burin they will fine him in 6000 shekels if Israelis or internationals will work with him again. When we asked the humanitarian center to check that, the army and the DCO denied.
 

4-9 Oct. 2009
Monday we spend with the farmers of Tal, who cut the trees after they finished harvesting them.
In Awarta, farmers asked us to return, because there were less army patrols. In Inun the army tried to deport farmers from upper Inun, and after our intervention they returned to work.
Famers from Mazra El Kabalia and El Jania started harvesting. The army did not allow us to accompany them, and after making sure everything went fine, we left. We helped farmers from A Swuya near Rehelim.
 
Tuesday everything went calm in Awarta. We worked with a farmer from Karyut near the cemetery of Eli. The army wanted to deport us. We worked in Jamayin as well.
 
Wednesday farmers from Jit were deported from their land near Kedumim, probably on the ground of ownership conflict. A farmer from Kariut was attacked. In Awarta the work went quietly. During morning hours, the army informed the municipality of Awarta they can work in the red area in the area of Itamar and around. Thou it was in a very short notice, they agreed assuming they will have 2-3 days.
 

Thursday it turned out the army was rushing them to finish the work, and they were told there will be no other working days. Some farmers found out their trees disappeared.
Farmers with trees in the inner fence were not allowed to get there. We sent a letter regarding the trees that disappeared and in the name of the families that were not allowed to their land. The work in Mazra El Kabilia and Jana work went calm.
We received a report that on their way home, farmers from Kalil heard something and it seems that the army shoot tear gas on them.
We helped farmers from Susya that worked their land near Susiya settlement.
Thursday, the farmers from Kalil were deported from their lands, near an outpost of Itamar. Settlers shoot to the air and bound Palestinians. They were released only whey they promise to leave the place. There is an ownership conflict as well. In another place, a teenager was arrested, probably because he took photos with his cellphone.
We went back to Tal with a farmer that returned from abroad. We worked in Jit near Kedumin. We found out that in lower Inun, they were told that on Wednesday that Thursday is their last working day form the season. They need few more days.
This week farmers worked in Dir Hatab and Salem.
 
Harvest  Journal
 
This week we started the olive harvest season. Today (Friday) we have enough volunteers, but in the last few days we worked with smaller group. We hope that in the next weeks we will have larger groups.
So far it seems  that the police and the army forces fulfill their task seriously. 
Although this week’s harvest launched in areas of violence, no violence was registered.
There were attempts of the army to press the farmers to end the work quickly, as well as to cancel coordinated days, claiming the work had ended.
Work continued with our intervention, and it seems that the army intends to enable all that is required for  the work.
This week an article was published in “Haaretz", about the olive harvest and our contribution.
 On Monday our volunteers carried out surveillance watch in all the villages around  Havat Gilad: Sara lands, Tal, Git and Fara’ta.  On Tuesday and Wednesday, our volunteers were in Ein-Abus, watching the work in Hawara and Oarif.
 On Thursday we worked in Tal, Hawara and Awata. The DCO threatened the volunteers that they will call the police to arrest them, even when they only stood out of the forbidden range and only watched the work.
Today, Friday, our volunteers work in Awata and G'it lands next to the militaristic emplacement of expect Yishai, and in the lands Farata next to Emanuel.