‘He irrigated the tree with his blood’: West Bank olive farmers set for another deadly harvest
Abdul Latif Al Bazzari, 59, moved slowly and deliberately as he battled through pain to recount the last moments of his cousin, Ali Al Bazzari, at an olive grove in the pale green, dusty hills around the city of Nablus. On Monday, the scattering of olive trees among which he stood was serene. Accessible through a rough dirt track, the only sign of a world outside the grove was a light breeze that…
Abdul Latif Al Bazzari, a 59-year-old olive farmer, recounted the tragic death of his cousin, Ali Al Bazzari, at their family's olive grove in Nablus. The peaceful grove was suddenly attacked on October 7 when settlers shot at the family, beat them with metal and wooden objects, and threw stones. Ali, a 44-year-old father of four, died after irrigating a tree with his blood.
His face showed no emotion as he described his cousin's death, which he considers a settler attack. Eight people were injured, two by gunfire. One cousin remains in the hospital. The settlers want the family to stay away from their land and crops, forcing them to stay in their villages. Palestinian olive farmers across the West Bank face another harvest season marred by settler violence.
Despite the good weather, the violence continues, with two Palestinians killed and many more injured since the attacks began in late September. The olive harvest holds great economic and symbolic value for Palestinians, as it is deeply tied to their identity and culture.
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