The Israeli Occupation Forces (IOF) prevented on Monday a group of Palestinian farmers from entering their olive groves located behind the Apartheid Wall.
The farmers from Salfit were stopped by Israelis forces on their way to work in their farm lands located on the Israeli side of the separation wall which runs through the farmers’ lands.
Palestinians living in the areas where Israel’s separation wall cut off their lands are required to obtain entry permits and cannot enter their lands for any purpose other than work or residence.
However Israeli military gates are often closed denying the farmers’ access to their agricultural lands.
During the olive harvest season — an essential time of year for Palestinian farmers whose main source of income is often olive farming — Palestinians are regularly turned around by Israeli forces attacked by settlers or only given a few days to harvest hundreds of olive trees.
Since the beginning of olive harvest season — a longheld Palestinian tradition and way of life for many farmers — several incidents of settlers attacking Palestinians while picking their olives have been reported.
