Palestinian, 44, dies after settlers allegedly attack olive pickers near Nablus in West Bank

A 44-year-old Palestinian man has died after Israeli settlers allegedly attacked farmers harvesting olives in Burqa village near Nablus in the West Bank, where the olive harvest is under way. The allegation comes from Palestinian officials.

Ali Hasan Yaser al-Bazzari was killed in the incident, and several others were injured. The attack has once again brought the safety of farmers to the fore, along with rising tension in the West Bank.

According to local information, Palestinian farmers were harvesting olives in fields near Burqa when a group of Israeli settlers arrived and attacked them, it is alleged. Several people were reportedly hurt in gunfire and beatings. The harvest is considered extremely important for Palestinian farmers, and local people are worried about violence in the fields at this time.

Al-Bazzari was seriously injured in the attack. He was taken to hospital but died during treatment. Palestinian health officials confirmed his death. Several others were also said to have been injured. The Palestinian Red Crescent alleges that medical teams that arrived to take the injured to hospital were obstructed on the way.

Olive farming is a key source of income for thousands of Palestinian families in the West Bank, so the harvest matters not only for agriculture but also for the local economy.

This year too, complaints are coming in of attacks on farmers, theft of olives, vandalism of trees and obstruction of access to farmland. After the latest incident, the demand is growing again that farmers be able to harvest safely and that effective security arrangements be put in place to stop the violence.