“Earlier today, a number of harvesters, accompanied by dozens of individuals, arrived to conduct an uncoordinated olive harvest in an area near Beitar Illit. Harvesting in this area requires a request to be submitted to the relevant authorities in advance of the start of the olive harvest season. This coordination is necessary to ensure the security of the area and maintain public order.

Due to the security risk posed by conducting an uncoordinated harvest near an Israeli community, IDF soldiers, Border Police forces in Judea and Samaria, and officers from the Judea and Samaria District Police arrived at the scene and detained those present.

The landowner was informed that he must coordinate the olive harvest on his plot of land and was provided with the relevant contact information to arrange a harvest at a later date.

It should be emphasized that authorized olive harvests have taken place and continue to take place. To date, approximately 100 coordinated harvests have been conducted across Judea and Samaria, yielding many dozens of tons of produce, with security provided and coordination by the security forces, without any unusual incidents.

In areas designated for coordinated harvesting, only harvesters will be permitted to enter, solely for the purpose of harvesting.

As in previous years, security forces are working to facilitate a safe and orderly olive harvest season, with a firm commitment to enabling harvesting without unusual incidents or interruptions, alongside their ongoing defensive and counterterrorism missions.”