Israeli army detains 11 international activists supporting Palestinian olive harvest in West Bank

Israeli forces detained 11 international solidarity activists on Thursday while they were helping Palestinian farmers harvest olives in the village of Al-Buwaib, south of Hebron in the occupied West Bank, according to a Palestinian volunteer campaign.

The Fazaa campaign said in a statement that the activists had been held since Thursday morning, without Israeli authorities providing an explanation for their detention.

According to the campaign, the detainees include nationals of Italy, Germany, the United States, Britain and Australia.

The campaign also reported that Italy’s Foreign Ministry had confirmed that four Italian women were among those detained and had contacted Israeli authorities to seek clarification about the circumstances of their detention.

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The activists were participating in efforts to support Palestinian farming communities facing threats and attacks by Israeli settlers during the olive harvest season.

Israeli authorities did not immediately comment on the reported detentions.

The incident comes amid an escalation in Israeli military operations and settler attacks against Palestinians and their property across the occupied West Bank, including East Jerusalem, since the outbreak of the war in Gaza in October 2023.

International solidarity activists have participated in olive harvest activities alongside Palestinian farmers in communities facing settler violence and restrictions on access to agricultural land.

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