About 80 US, Israeli, and British volunteers were detained by the Israeli military while assisting Palestinians in harvesting olives near Bethlehem, including Brad Lander, a Democratic congressional nominee from New York, several rabbis, and Israel’s former deputy attorney general.

Incident Overview

Lander reported via social media, stating, "I’ve been detained by the IDF, along with a group of rabbis and volunteers. We were simply harvesting olives in a grove near Nahalin in the West Bank. The occupation is a crime under international law. Harvesting olives isn’t a crime under any law I know."

Lander, who identifies as a liberal Zionist and is critical of the Israeli government, believes that Israel cannot be a true democracy while denying Palestinians their human rights and freedom. His stance on Israel was pivotal in his primary victory against Dan Goldman, a notable supporter of Israel.

Context of the Harvest

The olive harvest has been a contentious issue, with settler militants reportedly using extreme violence against Palestinians attempting to harvest their olives. Recent incidents have included assaults on a US photojournalist and attacks on European diplomats, prompting international calls for the Israeli government to address the violence.