Father Bashar Fawadleh reports colonists in Taybeh olive groves

Father Bashar Fawadleh, the Latin parish priest of Taybeh, reported on October 5 that settlers entered private olive groves in the Jabbas area east of the village to harvest olives belonging to local families. Fawadleh stated that video footage from the area shows an aggressive harvest that resulted in broken branches and damage to the trees.

The priest warned that these actions threaten not only the current harvest but also the future production of the olive trees. He also noted that all access points to Taybeh were closed during the incident, which restricted the movement of residents and prevented farmers from reaching their land.

Taybeh is the only entirely Christian village in the West Bank, and the olive harvest is a vital part of the local economy. Fawadleh has spent months calling for international attention to violence attributed to Israeli settlers in the surrounding colonies. Cardinal Pierbattista Pizzaballa, the Latin Patriarch of Jerusalem, has visited the village several times recently alongside various religious and diplomatic representatives.