The Israeli Army has uprooted around 3,000 olive trees in the Palestinian village of al-Mughayyir, located northeast of Ramallah. This action has caused anger among local residents who see it as part of a wider effort to displace Palestinian communities from their ancestral lands.
Marzouq Abu Naim, deputy head of the village council, said the Israeli Army ordered the clearing of a 0.27 square kilometer plot of farmland. The military claimed the olive trees posed a “security threat” to a nearby Israeli settlement road.
According to Palestinian news agency Wafa, soldiers entered over 30 homes early Saturday, damaging property and vehicles during the operation.
Al-Mughayyir is a village of about 4,000 people, where olive farming and livestock are main sources of income. Palestinian researcher Hamza Zubeidat described the area as one of the most fertile parts of Ramallah. He warned that uprooting trees, confiscating water springs, and blocking farmers worsens food and water insecurity.
The uprooting of olive trees in the West Bank is not a new practice. For decades, the Israeli Army and authorities have targeted Palestinian agricultural lands. These lands are not only vital for economic survival but also hold cultural importance for Palestinians.
Human rights groups say such actions are part of a long-term policy to seize land and push Palestinians from rural and urban areas. Zubeidat noted this eviction process has continued since 1967.
This incident comes amid rising violence across the West Bank during Israel’s ongoing conflict with Gaza. The United Nations reports thousands of settler attacks on Palestinians this year, along with hundreds of deaths and large-scale displacement.
For Palestinians, olive trees symbolize heritage and identity. The loss of thousands of trees in al-Mughayyir has increased fears of further land seizures and forced displacement.
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