“The annual olive harvest is a key economic, social and cultural event for Palestinians. Communities with olive groves located between the Barrier and the Green Line and in the vicinity of Israeli settlements in the West Bank, and along the perimeter fence surrounding the Gaza Strip face serious challenges in maintaining and harvesting their olive crops which, in turn, undermine their livelihoods and increase their vulnerabilities.
“Thousands of Palestinians are denied permits to access their olive groves located behind the Barrier for ‘security reasons’ or because they are unable to meet Israel’s criteria to prove a ‘connection to the land.’ However, more are granted permits during the harvest period than during the rest of the year.”
– from a report by the Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs, United Nations
