Jerusalem mufti issues fatwa banning purchase of olive products from settlements in West Bank
The legal ruling was given in response to escalating settler violence, specifically against olive trees this harvest season, Mufti Hussein’s office published.
A fatwa was issued by the grand mufti of Jerusalem and the Palestinian Territories, Sheikh Muhammad Ahmad Hussein, banning the purchase of olive products from settlements in the West Bank. This came in response to the rise of settler attacks on the olive industry, particularly against olive trees this harvest season. Hussein emphasized that buying stolen goods encourages theft, cooperates in sin and aggression, and endorses wrongdoing.
He added that purchasing olive products stolen from Palestinian trees and sold by settlers is particularly problematic, as it empowers the occupying force and must be rejected by concerted official and popular efforts. The Israeli military allegedly bulldozed olive groves near Ramallah in recent weeks, though they have not officially confirmed the destruction.
The olive harvest typically starts in early October, and the olive sector is crucial to Palestinian agriculture, accounting for about 8% of GDP and providing over 60,000 jobs. Reports indicate that more than 45,000 trees, including over 26,000 olive trees, were cut down or damaged in the West Bank during the first half of 2026. Additionally, Palestinian farmers have faced violence from extremist settlers, resulting in the death of at least one individual, Ali Hassan Yusor al-Bazzari.
The official Palestinian Authority account removed a video showing Israeli bulldozers destroying an olive grove, which has been widely shared on pro-Palestinian social media.
Written by urgent.news from Jerusalem Post's reporting — not their text. Machine-written — may contain errors; check the original before relying on it.
