World · Middle East · 4 hrs ago
Palestinians harvest olives under Israeli restrictions in al-Mughayyir
Palestinian families gathered olives in al-Mughayyir, a village in the occupied West Bank near Ramallah.
Israeli military rules limit access to groves: residents need approval and can harvest on only a handful of days, with age limits and restrictions on equipment.
Villagers say these short visits are not enough to care for trees that need attention throughout the year.
Footage showed Israeli troops firing tear gas near the pickers as soldiers stood guard.
Residents say they can reach barely 100 of the village’s 4,300 hectares, despite depending on the land for their crops.
The harvest supports 80,000 to 100,000 Palestinian families across the West Bank, and UN records show settler attacks have also damaged thousands of trees.
The village’s harvest access remains limited to the permitted days described by residents.
Palestinian families harvested olives in al-Mughayyir on one of the few days they were allowed to reach their groves.
Access requires prior Israeli military approval and is limited by time, age restrictions and bans on equipment.
Residents say they can reach barely 100 hectares of the village’s 4,300 hectares of land.
Footage showed Israeli troops firing tear gas near olive pickers.
The UN recorded 377 settler attacks causing casualties or property damage across the West Bank since September.
- Who
- Palestinian families gathered olives in al-Mughayyir while Israeli soldiers stood guard.
- What
- Residents harvested olives under restrictions on access to their groves.
- When
- Thursday; the article was published on November 5, 2026.
- Where
- Al-Mughayyir, an occupied West Bank village north-east of Ramallah.
- Why
- The olive harvest provides vital income for Palestinian families, but residents need Israeli military approval to reach their groves.
This story does not have two clearly opposing sides.
Around 12,000 olive trees were uprooted from al-Mughayyir’s eastern plain.
The army has kept al-Mughayyir’s eastern entrance closed.
Six residents of al-Mughayyir were killed.
The UN recorded 377 settler attacks causing casualties or property damage across the West Bank.
Palestinian families gathered olives in al-Mughayyir as Israeli soldiers stood guard.
- Village population
- Around 3,000 people
- Village land
- About 4,300 hectares
- Land residents say they can access
- Barely 100 hectares
- Olive trees uprooted
- Around 12,000 in 2025
- West Bank settler attacks
- 377 since September
- Families relying on olive harvest income
- An estimated 80,000 to 100,000