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Live updates: U.S. approves deployment of anti-missile system to Israel

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11 hours ago

October 13, 2024

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Live updates: U.S. approves deployment of anti-missile system to Israel

Israeli settlers cut down dozens of olive trees in the village of Qusra in the occupied West Bank this morning, following similar attacks last week, according to WAFA, the Palestinian government-run news agency.

The olive harvest season began this week, and many Palestinians rely on selling olives for their livelihood, especially due to the worsening economic situation in the West Bank. But Israeli settlers have frequently sought to disrupt the harvest by attacking farmers and cutting down trees.

NBC News has reached out to the Israeli authorities for comment.

The Palestinian Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Expatriates called the settler attacks “organized state terrorism” and a “violation” of the West Bank.

According to WAFA’s report, settlers assaulted local farmers and olive pickers today, forcibly driving them from the land under threat of violence. It said the Israeli military was present during the confrontations.

Israel says soldiers who witness settler violence must detain suspects and report the incident, but farmers have reported that soldiers often side with the settlers.

Last year, the harvest was nearly shut down as the Israeli military and settlers prevented many Palestinians from accessing their land. According to Food Security Cluster, which is part of the U.N.’s World Food Programme, the halting of the harvest caused $10 million in losses in the West Bank.