Brad Lander, a progressive Democratic candidate expected to win easily in the U.S. House of Representatives elections in New York on November 3, was arrested while harvesting olives in the West Bank near Bethlehem along with a group of rabbis and volunteers. Lander announced on social media that this arrest was due to the olive harvesting and added, "Occupation is a crime under international law. Harvesting olives is not a crime under any law."
Arrest and Its Consequences
Following the incident, Lander stated that he was released due to his prominence and added that "Palestinians face much worse consequences every day." The Israeli Foreign Ministry described Lander's actions as a "calculated political move" and stated that he ignored the guidelines regarding coordination with Israeli authorities. The ministry clarified: "This was not about harvesting olives, but about harvesting headlines."
Israeli Policies and Reactions
Israeli military forces announced that the Palestinian landowner did not request permission to carry out the olive harvesting. They noted that this coordination is necessary to ensure the security of the area and maintain public order, referring to security risks posed by uncoordinated harvests near an Israeli settlement. Israel is facing increasing international criticism due to violence during the olive harvest, with human rights groups documenting several attacks and other disruptions daily by settlers against Palestinians.
On Monday, Israel announced that several individuals were arrested following an attack on an American photojournalist and a French mayor who had come for the olive harvest season. This violence occurs in the final days leading up to the Israeli elections, where Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu is trying to strengthen his right-wing base, which strongly supports settlement policies.
Israel is increasingly criticized in the United States, which has traditionally been one of its largest allies. Brad Lander, who is Jewish, has close ties to Zohar Maimon, the mayor of New York, who is a staunch critic of Israeli policies. Lander has eliminated the current representative, Dan Goldman, from the race in a primary election in June; Goldman is one of a growing number of Democrats who support Israel.
