The Olive Tree Movement

THE OLIVE HARVEST COALITION

Gush Shalom, Israeli Committee Against House Demolitions, Alternative Information Center, Kibbutz (Projects) and Youth Movements,
Yesh Gvul, Yesh Din, Combatants for Peace, Machsomwatch, The Olive Tree Movement, The Villages Group, Coalition of Women for Peace, Rabbis for Human Rights, Taayush – Arab-Jewish Partnership

CALLS OUT TO VOLUNTEERS FOR ACTIVE PARTICIPATION IN THE AUTUMN 2008 OLIVE HARVEST AND FARMING TASKS

Greetings,

As has become our custom since 2002, Israeli and international volunteer organizations and groups take an active part in the annual olive harvest farming tasks throughout the Occupied Palestinian Territories.
This year's olive crop exceeds last year's meager one by far. As we do every year, we shall harvest "down to the last olive" and reach the furthest plot of land.

The "official" olive-harvesting season follows the Ramadan month of fasting and the holiday that concludes it - Eid al Fitr – in the beginning of October. We highly recommend attending the first day of the harvest to witness the wonderful festivity of hundreds of families filling the olive groves.

Most of our activity focuses on villages situated close to Jewish settlements (colonies) as well as areas termed "the Seam Zone" by the State of Israel – namely all the areas lying between the Separation barrier/wall and the 'green line' (Israel's border until June 1967).

As a result of the volunteers' steadfast activity and the High Court of Justice ruling on the right of Palestinian farmers to tend their lands at all times, such work in the olive groves neighboring the colonies has become somewhat lighter. As in recent years, the army, police and civil administration are preparing for the olive harvest season in order to try and prevent violent and harassment on the part of the colonists.
However, the problems still persist – from colonist harassment, through the army's failures to maintain the said ruling, and down to ownership claims and colonists' takeover of Palestinian farmers' land.

The Minister of Defense practices a lenient policy towards the colonists and does not enforce government rulings about dismantling the illegal and unauthorized colony-outposts, nor about cases of unauthorized construction within the core colonies. The conclusions of the Talya Sasson Report on the colonies have not been acted upon in any way, nor has any privately-owned land been returned to its Palestinian owners after being taken over for the establishment of colony outposts. Weakness and laxness on the part of the Israeli authorities have reinforced the colonists' determination to escalate their violence towards Palestinian farmers. Therefore, our participatory presence, symbolic as it may be, is significant for our Palestinian friends who feel safer when we join them in their fields.

The army has designated various types of farming areas: open to anyone at any time, open at all times to Palestinians only, open to Palestinians only in coordination with the army. (These are a few areas adjacent to colony fences). As for those areas prohibited to Israelis, we shall have to follow up with the Palestinians to make sure work is being carried out unhampered.

In the West Bank there are now several regions that are especially problematic: the villages in close proximity to the city of Nablus, villages close to some of the more zealous-extremist colonies, the South Hebron Hills, and lands between the Separation Barrier/Wall and the 'green line'. The latter are entangled with State policy, especially around issues such as a total denial of access to Palestinians into these lands except for rare cases of permit holders, denial of access to persons blacklisted on political, administrative and "security" grounds, limited times of activity at the 'agricultural gates', access roads to the lands, and denial of access to motor vehicles. Palestinian existence in these areas is jeopardized by the State's proclaimed intentions to annex lands west of the Wall, combined with the colonies' expansionist tendencies and the greed of real estate mongers and contractors. Most of the intensive farming such as hothouse horticulture and fruit trees is no longer practiced for a lack of water and intentional policy of denying entry and access permits.

Some of the volunteer groups are active throughout the West Bank, others especially in the areas west of the Separation Barrier/Wall.

AS WE DID LAST YEAR, WE SHALL ASSIGN VARIOUS GROUPS TO DIFFERENT ACTIVITY DAYS, MAINTAINING JOINT COORDINATION AND UPDATES OF ALL VOLUNTEER BODIES INVOLVED.

Names and telephone numbers of the organizers:

For activity throughout the West Bank:

Rabbi Arik Asherman – 050- 5607034
Rabbi Yehiel Greiniman – 050- 2110639
Rabbis for Human Rights (office) – 02-6482757
(These numbers are not to be contacted on Saturdays)

The villages of Salem, Deir al Khatab and Azmut (near Nablus)

Buma Inbar – 054- 7670511
Uri Pinkerfeld – 050- 5751313

South Hebron Hills, Bethlehem

Ofra Ben-Porat- 052-8011480, 052-3006258E.mail: ofra1979@gmail.com

Hebron
Maya Negev – 054-5442990 (not final)

Lands west of the Separation Barrier/Wall ("Seam Zone")

Jamila-Yafit Bisso – 052- 6251227
Vardit Goldner - E.mail: warditg@gmail.com
Amit Ramon – 054- 5450041 E mail: amit.ramon@gmail.com
Oded Efrati – 052- 3285567
Hagar Lipkin – 054- 6323465 E.mail: lipkin@013.com
Yaacov Manor – 050- 5733276, 09-7670801 manor12@zahav.net.il

"Seam Zone" around Jenin
Wajih Siddawi – 052- 4631097 E. mail muntad@gmail.com

Haifa & north
Dani Grimblat – 052-5655542, E. mail: da-gri@013.net

Kibbutz and Youth Movement Volunteers
Contact any day of the week including Friday-Saturday, any hour of the day or night:
Yoel Marshak – 052- 2465474
Tom Dromi – 052- 4840621

On denial of access to blacklisted Palestinians and problems realating to agricultural gates
Machsomwatch members Sylvia Piterman, Micki Fisher, Raaya Zenter, Hagar lipkin

Machsomwatch hotline –
054- 5300385

Issues of harassment and ownership claim conflicts –
Rabbis for Human Rights
Yesh Din : Ruti Kedar – 052- 8949249, Azmi Badeir – 054-4608524

Coordination with army authorities
will be handled by representatives of the groups –
Arik Asherman, Uri Pinkerfeld, Ofra Ben-Porat, Yaacov Manor

In case of need for coordination and army intervention following incidents in all the areas, please contact Yoel Marshak

VOLUNTEERS ARE REQUESTED TO INFORM THE ORGANIZERS OF THEIR PREFERRED DATES AND AREAS,
OR BY PHONE TO RABBIS FOR HUMAN RIGHTS.

PLEASE MENTION YOUR ADDRESS AND PHONE NUMBER FOR FURTHER CONTACT

INFORMATION ON OLIVE HARVEST DATES, TIMES AND TRANSPORTATION WILL BEPOSTED WEEKLY ON ALL INFO-LISTS

Due to the rise in fuel prices, costs of the volunteer project for the olive harvest have risen accordingly, while the organizations' financial situation this year has not improved… Volunteers and supporters are therefore kindly requested to donate to this cause – even a little bit counts.

Contributions please mail to the order of
"The Olive Harvest Coalition"
P.O.Box 1335,
Kfar Saba 44113

Participation in the olive harvest and related work is an act of solidarity with the Palestinian people – let us not miss this opportunity!