As tensions rise across the occupied West Bank, a group of retired senior Israeli military officers has gone into the olive groves to help Palestinian farmers bring in their harvest — a hands-on show of solidarity prompted by what they describe as a surge in militant settler violence.
“When I see what is going on here, when I see these guys come… and hit women and kids, it reminds me of stories from my parents from the time when the Jewish people suffered,” said former major general Eyal Ben-Reuven, who compared the militant settler attacks to pogroms.
Mr Ben-Reuven said he began organising a group of around 30 senior military officials -including six generals – several months ago, after settler violence escalated. Many Palestinians say the attacks are enabled by the Israeli military.
Israeli forces prevent Palestinian farmers from harvesting their olive crops
The Israeli military has said it condemns violence and that it operates to maintain security in the West Bank.
“Occupation is the main problem of Israeli society. I believe we must deal with it, we cannot ignore it. We must try to solve it together with the Palestinians,” former colonel Doron Meinert said.
Alongside moral concerns, Mr Ben-Reuven and others said they fear the damage such incidents can inflict on Israel’s standing abroad.
“Strategically, tactically, it’s creating problems for the state of Israel in the West and the United States,” said Jonatan Yoni, a former brigadier general. He said his decision to join was driven both by the plight of Palestinian farmers and by opposition to Israeli annexation of the West Bank.
‘The army is protecting the settlers’
Nimr Nazzal, who owns land near the village of Qusra where the ex-military personnel were assisting, said he would not be able to reach his olive trees without their presence because of settler attacks.
He said many of those assaults, in his view, come with backing from the Israeli military.
“The army is protecting the settlers,” Mr Nazzal said.
The Israeli rights group Yesh Din has reported 180 physical attacks on Palestinian olive harvesters over the 35 days since the season began.
In more than 23% of the cases of settler violence it recorded, Yesh Din said, the Israeli military was present.
Israeli settlers set a car on fire after a settler outpost was demolished by Israeli forces
Palestinians say that when they call the Israeli military, it either arrives late or ends up aiding the settlers carrying out the violence. The military denies this.
Mr Meinert, who now spends much of his time volunteering in the West Bank in support of Palestinians, also said the Israeli army helped the settlers.
Some Israeli soldiers, Mr Meinert added, share the militant settlers’ belief that only Jews “have the right to this area and that the Arabs should be expelled or stay here as second (class) residents”.
The Israeli military has said in the past it is the people’s army and reflects the full spectrum of views in Israeli society.
The West Bank is home to some 500,000 settlers and at least 3 million Palestinians.
UN bodies and most countries deem the settlements illegal under international law regarding military occupations.
Israel rejects this, claiming the territory as disputed rather than occupied.
