Death under the olive trees

https://jacobinitalia.it/morte-sotto-gli-ulivi/

The article 'Death under the Olive Trees' by Carolina S. Pedrazzi recounts the dramatic reality of Palestinian farmers in the West Bank, whose land is being devastated by Israeli settlers and the army. Omar Ghoneym, a farmer, discovers that his olive trees have been uprooted and his property destroyed. Mahmoud Abdullah, another farmer, cannot harvest his vines, crushed to the ground. The situation for Palestinian farmers, who depend on the land to survive, worsened after the 7 October attacks. Since then, the West Bank has experienced weeks of escalating violence, with over 180 Palestinians killed and more than 2,000 arrested.

Most of the agricultural land is located in Area C of the West Bank, which is controlled by the Israeli army. Farmers, already prevented from accessing their land, now risk their lives if they try to do so. The article reports stories of persecuted Palestinian families, such as that of Bilal Saleh, who was killed by an Israeli soldier in front of his children, or Na'em Abu Eram, who was attacked by settlers.

The destruction of the olive trees represents an attack not only on the economic resources of the Palestinians, but also on their history and identity. Agriculture in Palestine is a form of resistance, deeply connected to the land. Saad Dagher, a Palestinian agronomist, explains how Israeli-imposed monoculture contrasts with the Palestinian polycultural tradition of preserving biodiversity.

The article concludes by reflecting on the contradiction between those who claim land by destroying it and those who protect it. Palestinian farmers, despite the violence and persecution, continue to resist, convinced that their love and ancestral bond with their land is their strongest weapon.