Olive groves under siege: Palestinian families face Israeli violence during harvest

“I felt like I was dying,” said Afaf Abu Alia, recalling the moment Israeli settlers took turns to beat her with sticks as she and her family harvested olives in a village near Ramallah, in the occupied West Bank.

Pointing to her exhausted body and speaking in a barely audible voice, the 53-year-old Palestinian added: “I was alone among more than 20 settlers… They beat me on my head and hands… here, and here.”

Afaf and her family had headed out early on Sunday morning to pick olives in Turmus Ayya. After about three hours, a small group of settlers - coming from nearby settlements including Maale Levona, Shilo, Givat Harel and Eli - attacked them.

Along with her husband, sons and brothers-in-law and their wives, Afaf fled to a distant, safer area, leaving behind their tools, vehicle, and the olives they had already harvested.

About half an hour later, when the settlers left, the family returned to find their vehicle smashed and their harvest stolen. They decided to move to a safer plot of land, but on the way an Israeli military patrol, sent to protect the settlers, intercepted them and fired a gas canister in their direction. Afaf, who suffers from a respiratory allergy, was overcome by the gas.

Read more: Olive groves under siege: Palestinian families face Israeli violence during harvest