Ramallah, West Bank / PNN / 

Palestinian grassroots committees and the Wall and Settlement Resistance Commission convened a meeting on Tuesday with activists from across the West Bank to discuss efforts to reinvigorate popular resistance and prepare for the upcoming olive harvest season.

Moayad Shaaban, head of the commission, underscored the national and symbolic significance of the olive season, describing it as a season of resilience and rootedness in the land. He noted that farmers face repeated attacks each year by Israeli forces and settlers. 

Shaaban called for unified grassroots and official efforts to defend the land and support farmers, stressing that popular resistance will escalate in response to mounting violence. He urged all sectors of Palestinian society, especially volunteers and local committees, to take part under the umbrella of the “Olive 2025” campaign.

Opening the meeting, Suhail Salman of the Popular Campaign Against the Wall and Settlements said protecting the olive harvest is a shared national responsibility that requires coordinated community and institutional efforts. He described the olive tree as a symbol of Palestinian identity, history and belonging.

Activist Munther Amira, representing popular action groups, called for stronger international participation in the campaign to help shield farmers and highlight Palestinian struggles globally. He said invitations had been sent to international organizations, solidarity movements and activists from around the world to join this year’s harvest.

In a joint statement, the committees and the commission reaffirmed that the olive season is a season of steadfastness and attachment to the land, and that peaceful popular resistance will remain a central strategy against occupation and settlement expansion. They said “Olive 2025” would serve as a unifying national platform for defending farmers and confronting settler violence.

Call for Participation and Media Coverage

The “Olive 2025” campaign will launch in early October, at the start of the olive harvest, and continue until the season concludes.

Grassroots committees and the commission called on Palestinian society, NGOs, universities, trade unions, as well as local and international solidarity groups to join the campaign in support of farmers.

They urged local, regional and international media outlets to cover the campaign, document settler attacks and amplify the voices of Palestinian farmers.

A detailed schedule of target locations, gathering points and volunteering days will be announced in the coming weeks.

“The olive tree is a symbol of our survival and steadfastness. ‘Olive 2025’ will be a rallying point for unity and collective resistance,” the organisers said.