Israeli security forces detained approximately 80 to 90 volunteers on Wednesday while they were helping Palestinian farmers harvest olives near Nahalin in the occupied West Bank. Among those detained was Brad Lander, a Democratic candidate for the US Congress from New York City, along with several rabbis, activists, and Israel’s former deputy attorney general.
The volunteers, consisting of American, Israeli, and British citizens, were accompanying Palestinian farmers who have faced increasing threats from radical Jewish settlers. Following their detention by the Israel Defense Forces, the group was taken to a police station.
In a post on X, Lander stated that he and the other volunteers were simply harvesting olives and argued that such an action is not a crime under any law. He further claimed that the occupation is a crime under international law. According to Lander, dozens of the volunteers remain in Israeli custody.