Zionist enemy forces prevented Palestinian farmers on Wednesday from reaching their lands in the al-Hara’iq area of the town of Deir Jarir, east of Ramallah, to harvest olives, under the pretext that the area was a closed military zone.

Local sources reported that enemy forces deployed around a gathering of olive pickers in the town and prevented farmers from accessing their lands, keeping them from harvesting their crops during the current season.

This restriction comes amid a series of attacks targeting the town in recent weeks, particularly the al-Hara’iq area, where Palestinian farmers have been subjected to attacks by settlers during the olive harvest season.

On October 17, settlers attacked farmers and solidarity activists in al-Hara’iq and opened live fire to force them to leave their lands, according to local reports. The town also witnessed assaults on farmers on October 16, leaving three Palestinians injured, according to the same sources.

Earlier, on October 10, settlers attacked the town and grazed their sheep among residents’ homes, while enemy forces closed the main entrance and prevented vehicles from approaching, according to local sources.

Last July, Deir Jarir witnessed a large-scale settler attack on Palestinian homes and vehicles, during which attempts were made to set occupied homes on fire. Human rights reports also documented further attacks in the al-Hara’iq area that month, resulting in the martyrdom of two Palestinians by enemy forces’ gunfire.

Attacks by settlers and restrictions imposed by Zionist enemy forces on Palestinian farmers are escalating across the occupied West Bank during the olive harvest season, which is a major source of income for thousands of families. This has raised fears of crop losses and the inability to access agricultural land.