'Israel' deports 32 foreign activists assisting Palestinian olive harvest in West Bank

'Israel’s' Deputy Prime Minister Yariv Levin announced Wednesday that 32 foreign activists who helped Palestinians harvest olives in the occupied West Bank have been ordered deported, citing violations of a military directive.

Levin stated the deportation followed a complaint from Yossi Dagan, president of the Northern West Bank Settlements Council, who described the activists as “anarchists who carried out provocations in the Samaria area.”

Among those deported was 30-year-old British national Rudy Schulkind, who told Agence France-Presse (AFP) he had come to the West Bank to support Palestinian farmers. Schulkind said the group was detained for 72 hours before being deported on October 19.

“We were arrested after they declared the area we were harvesting in as a military zone,” he said, alleging that such measures are commonly used against Palestinians. He added that none of the 32 volunteers were brought before a judge during their detention.

This year’s olive harvest has seen heightened tensions, with multiple incidents of vandalism and attacks by 'Israeli' settlers reported. International volunteers often join Palestinian farmers in rural areas to provide a protective presence during harvests.

Levin said the deportation order was co-signed by National Security Minister Itamar Ben Gvir. He accused the activists of violating a “military commander’s order” and alleged ties to the Union of Agricultural Work Committees (UAWC), a Palestinian non-profit focused on agricultural development. 'Israel' designated UAWC as a terrorist organization in 2021, along with five other NGOs, a decision widely criticized by the United Nations.

Schulkind did not specify which organization he was affiliated with. However, Fuad Abu Seif, UAWC’s General Director, told AFP that the volunteers were participating in a “National Campaign” organized by multiple Palestinian NGOs and the Palestinian Ministry of Agriculture. Abu Seif emphasized that UAWC is part of the campaign but not an organizer.

The Palestinian Foreign Ministry condemned the arrests, calling the deportations a violation of international law and the rights of those supporting local farmers.