Israel's destruction of Palestinian olive trees amounts to environmental war crime

The systematic destruction of olive trees in occupied Palestinian territories constitutes a calculated assault on both economic livelihoods and cultural identity. Olive cultivation provides the primary income source for approximately 80,000 Palestinian families while serving as a powerful national symbol, immortalized by Palestinian poet Mahmoud Darwish's declaration: "Here we remain, as long as thyme and olives remain."

Economic Significance and Systematic Destruction

Olive production contributes approximately 14% to the Palestinian economy, with nearly half of West Bank and Gaza agricultural land dedicated to olive cultivation. Recent incidents include Israeli settlers destroying 13,000 olive trees and preventing harvests, continuing a documented pattern that has seen around 800,000 trees destroyed over the past two decades and more than 2.5 million since 1967.

Restrictive Permit System and Access Denial

Palestinian farmers face significant barriers through Israel's permit system, which requires authorization to access agricultural lands in the 60% of West Bank under full Israeli control since the Oslo Accords. UN data indicates nearly half of permit applications face arbitrary rejection, while approved permits typically exclude family members and restrict agricultural equipment, effectively preventing proper cultivation and harvest management.

Legal Violations and International Law

The destruction of olive trees violates multiple international legal frameworks, including provisions protecting the natural environment during conflict under international humanitarian law. Even Israel's Supreme Court recognized the illegality of these practices in the "Morar v. IDF Commander" case, yet Israeli authorities continue to disregard their own judicial rulings while failing to prevent settler violence against Palestinian agricultural resources.