Israeli settlers attacked olive pickers, burned trees and damaged property across the occupied West Bank while, witnesses say, soldiers detained harvest volunteers and journalists. Clashes were reported in Abu Dis, Awarta, Beita (az‑Zahra) and Osarin, with video showing vehicles and homes attacked. Palestinian authorities report a sharp rise in settler killings in 2026 and cite broader casualties in the West Bank since October 2023.
Settler Violence Targets Olive Pickers as Soldiers Detain Reporters in West Bank
An Israeli soldier aims a weapon at Palestinian olive pickers in the village of Beita near Nablus in the Israeli-occupied West Bank on October 3, 2026 [Mohamad Torokman/Reuters]
Israeli settlers, reportedly operating under the protection of the Israeli army, attacked olive pickers, set fire to olive trees and detained dozens of people across the occupied West Bank, witnesses and local media say.
Violence During Harvest
The incidents occurred on Saturday at olive groves in Abu Dis, Awarta, the az‑Zahra area of Beita and other villages, according to reporters on the ground. Video footage shared with news outlets shows settlers smashing a Palestinian vehicle in Osarin and armed settlers attacking a home in Beita.
"When we arrived this morning, a group of about 50 masked settlers approached. They were throwing stones and attacked a house," said an activist from California volunteering with Palestinian communities to harvest olives, who asked to remain anonymous.
Shortly afterwards, the activist said, soldiers arrived and rounded up Palestinians and foreign volunteers who were harvesting olives, ordering them to leave and, according to the witness, forcing them to sit on the ground at gunpoint.
Journalists Detained
In the Jabal Qamass area of Beita, south of Nablus, Israeli forces detained journalists and, colleagues reporting from the scene say, assaulted reporters covering the clashes. Palestinian and international media present at the sites documented tear gas, stone-throwing and physical attacks.
The Palestinian news agency Wafa reported that in the Nablus-area village of Osarin settlers fired tear gas at Palestinians and journalists, attacked homes, pelted vehicles with stones and assaulted several residents who tried to repel the attacks.
Context and Casualty Figures
Palestinian authorities and local media describe these events as part of a wider surge in settler violence across the West Bank that intensified in February. They report that 30 Palestinians have been killed by settlers so far in 2026, the highest annual toll since 2022. Separate reporting cites a total of 1,212 Palestinians killed in the West Bank since October 2023, including 254 children; those figures are attributed to Palestinian authorities and other monitors.
Al Jazeera and Palestinian outlets provided the primary footage and eyewitness accounts cited in these reports. The incidents are under ongoing investigation by local and international observers.
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