Olive trees are a major agricultural crop in the Palestinian territories, where they are mostly grown for olive oil production. It has been estimated that olive production accounted for 57% of cultivated land in the Palestinian territories with 7.8 million fruit-bearing olive trees in 2011.[1] In 2014, an estimated 108,000 tonnes of olives were pressed producing 24,700 tonnes of olive oil – which contributed US $109 million in added value to the crop.[2] Around 100,000 households rely on olives for their primary income.[3]
The olive tree is seen by many Palestinians as being a symbol of nationality and connection to the land,[4] particularly due to their slow growth and longevity.
The destruction of Palestinian olive trees has become a feature of the Israeli–Palestinian conflict, with regular reports of damage by Israeli settlers.[5] In May 2023 a United Nations report stated that some 5,000 olive trees had been vandalised by settlers in less than 5 months.[6]
- ^ The Besieged Palestinian Agricultural Sector (PDF). United Nations Conference on Trade and Development - UNCTAD. 2015. Retrieved 21 March 2016.
- ^ "Main Economic Indicators for Olive Presses Activity in Palestine by Governorate, 2014". Palestinian Central Bureau of Statistics. Retrieved 21 March 2016.
- ^ Lodolini, E.M.; Ali, S.; Mutawea, M.; Qutub, M.; Arabasi, T.; Pierini, F.; Neri, D. (2014). "Complementary irrigation for sustainable production in olive groves in Palestine". Agricultural Water Management. 134: 104–109. doi:10.1016/j.agwat.2013.12.006. ISSN 0378-3774.
- ^ Barbara Rose Johnston; Lisa Hiwasaki; Irene J. Klaver (21 December 2011). Water, Cultural Diversity, and Global Environmental Change: Emerging Trends, Sustainable Futures?. Springer Science & Business Media. pp. 496–. ISBN 978-94-007-1773-2.
- ^ Bowen, Jeremy (2014). "Israel and the Palestinians: A conflict viewed through olives". BBC. Retrieved 21 March 2016.
- ^ Amira Hass, '5,000 Trees Vandalized in Palestinian West Bank Villages in Less Than Five Months,' Haaretz 10 May 2023