Israel uproots olive trees in West Bank village for third day
12:16, 24/09/2026, ThursdayU: Update: 12:41, 24/09/2026, Thursday
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Israeli forces cleared large tracts of Palestinian-owned land and uprooted decades-old olive trees in the village of Deir Nidham near Ramallah on Wednesday, preventing landowners from accessing their property for the third consecutive day as the occupation escalates its activities in the West Bank, according to local sources.
Israeli bulldozers uprooted olive trees and cleared large tracts of Palestinian-owned land in the village of Deir Nidham, northwest of Ramallah, for the third consecutive day on Wednesday, preventing landowners from accessing their property and destroying decades-old trees, local sources told Anadolu. The operation affects an estimated 36 to 40 dunams of land belonging to multiple families in the area, according to affected residents. Israel has occupied the West Bank since 1967, with the international community considering Israeli settlements in the occupied territories illegal under international law.
‘Nothing remains except God’
One of the affected landowners, Abu Mohammed, told Anadolu: “Israeli bulldozers had been clearing parts of his land since Monday and uprooting olive trees planted there.” He said “between 12 and 13 dunams (1.2 and 1.3 hectares) of his land had been affected,” noting that the uprooted olive trees had been planted many years ago. “Some were of the Roman variety, known for its good oil production,” he added.
“Nothing remains for me as a source of livelihood except God Almighty,” Abu Mohammed said. He noted that the bulldozing also affected his neighbors’ land, estimating the total area damaged at between 36 and 40 dunams. “We were not allowed to access the land. This bulldozing comes before the harvest season,” he added.
Annexation fears
Abu Mohammed stated that the landowners have not received an explanation for what is happening, asking: “Why are they uprooting the trees?” Palestinians warn that Israel is using these methods to pave the way for formally annexing the West Bank, undermining the possibility of establishing a Palestinian state provided for in relevant UN resolutions. The occupied territory has witnessed continued escalation in occupier attacks and Israeli military operations alongside the expansion of settlement outposts and increased restrictions on Palestinian movement since the start of Israel’s genocide in Gaza on Oct. 8, 2023.