The destruction of olive trees

“One of the collective punishments which not only harm us economically but also and above all strike at our symbols is the destructive on olive trees. This crime against nature wounds our very soul. The sight of destroyed olive groves is incredibly painful.

Olive trees are the heart of Palestine. They symbolise the country, our way of life, the ties between people and land. We have been cultivating olive trees for centuries. The production of olive oil is sill an important economic activity. It is illegal to uproot olive trees. Despite that, entire olive groves are being destroyed by excavators and tractors. Sometimes the trees are just mangled or topped, the explanation being that the security of the settlers requires it – the security of settlers in settlements which have been built illegally on Palestinian land. This hostile act is often also carried out as a punishment. If a boy standing in a field which does not belong to him throws a stone, the owners of the field lose their trees.”

Sumaya Farhat-Naser Daughter of the Olive Trees: A Palestinian Woman’s Struggle for Peace, pages 24 and 25.