As violence by militant Israeli settlers intensifies across the occupied West Bank, a group of senior former Israeli military officials joined Palestinian farmers in gathering their olive harvest in an act of solidarity.
“When I see what is going on here, when I see these guys come… and hit women and kids, it reminds me of stories from my parents from the time when the Jewish people suffered,” said former major general Eyal Ben-Reuven, likening the attacks by settlers to pogroms.
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Mr Ben-Reuven said he began assembling a group of about 30 senior military officials, including six generals, several months ago after a rise in settler violence that many Palestinians say has been enabled by the Israeli military.
Israeli forces prevent Palestinian farmers from harvesting their olive crops
The Israeli military has said it condemns violence and acts to maintain security across the West Bank.
Mr Ben-Reuven and the other former officials said they were also alarmed by the damage settler violence could cause to Israel’s standing internationally.
“Strategically, tactically, it’s creating problems for the state of Israel in the West and the United States,” said Jonatan Yoni, a former brigadier general. He said he was driven both by the plight of Palestinian farmers and by his opposition to Israeli annexation of the West Bank.
‘The army is protecting the settlers’
Nimr Nazzal, who owns land near the village of Qusra where the former military personnel were assisting farmers, said he could not reach his olive trees safely without their presence because of attacks by settlers.
He said many of those attacks had been backed by the Israeli military.
“The army is protecting the settlers,” Mr Nazzal said.
The Israeli rights group Yesh Din has documented 180 physical attacks against Palestinian olive harvesters during the 35 days since this year’s season began.
Yesh Din said Israeli soldiers were present in more than 23% of the incidents of settler violence it recorded.
Israeli settlers set a car on fire after a settler outpost was demolished by Israeli forces
Palestinians have said that when they call the Israeli military, soldiers either arrive too late or assist the settlers responsible for the violence. The military rejects those allegations.
Mr Meinert, who now spends much of his time volunteering in the West Bank to support Palestinians, also accused the Israeli army of aiding settlers.
Some Israeli soldiers, Mr Meinert said, share the militant settlers’ view that only Jews “have the right to this area and that the Arabs should be expelled or stay here as second (class) residents”.
The Israeli military has previously said it is the people’s army and reflects the broad range of views found in Israeli society.
The West Bank is home to about 500,000 settlers and at least 3 million Palestinians.
UN bodies and most countries consider the settlements illegal under international law governing military occupations.
Israel rejects that position, arguing that the territory is disputed rather than occupied.
