Monday, November 9, 2026 - Israel has deported 14 foreign activists who travelled to the occupied West Bank to support Palestinian communities facing violence during the annual olive harvest.
The activists, from the United States, Canada, Italy and Germany, were arrested near Ramallah on Friday following an incident involving Israeli settlers. Among those deported were a journalist and a 77-year-old activist.
Israeli authorities said the foreigners had violated visa regulations and disrupted public order, while Palestinian solidarity groups maintain that the volunteers were there to protect farmers and support their right to access their agricultural land.
The deportations come amid growing concerns over attacks against Palestinian farmers during this year's olive harvest season. According to the Israeli human rights organisation Yesh Din, more than 850 incidents of settler violence were documented during the first five weeks of the harvest.
The situation has also attracted international attention, with foreign volunteers joining Palestinian communities to help farmers gather their crops and monitor reported attacks.
Israeli police confirmed that three Palestinians were also arrested during the incident, while the Human Rights Defenders Fund criticised the detention of activists who were accompanying farmers on their land.
The latest deportations have renewed questions about the protection of Palestinian civilians, the treatment of international observers and the freedom of humanitarian solidarity groups operating in the occupied West Bank.
With the olive harvest continuing, attention is now focused on whether Palestinian farmers will be able to access their land safely and whether international pressure will lead to stronger protection measures.
The unfolding situation remains an important test of accountability, human rights protections and the international community's response to escalating tensions in the region.
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