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Olive harvest in West Bank village of Jalud, October 2011: A bitter crop. Photo by Combatants for Peace


NABLUS, October 21, 2011 (WAFA) - A group of settlers attacked on Friday Palestinians, Israeli and foreign solidarity volunteers helping farmers to harvest olives in the village of Jalud, south of Nablus, injuring four of them and causing three suffocation cases, according to local sources.

The coordinator of the campaign “we are with you”; a campaign to help farmers to harvest olives, Khaled Mansour told WAFA that settlers attacked the farmers and the volunteers with batons and rifles butts, injuring four of them and causing three cases of suffocation by tear gas bombs.

Among the injured were Israeli peace activists from “fighters for freedom,” he said

He also stressed that farmers and solidarity activists stood up to the settlers armed with machine guns, batons and tear gas and sound bombs.

He added that reinforced forces of the Israeli army came to the scene and began firing stun grenades and tear gas canisters, causing fire in large areas of Jalud’s land and burning dozens of olive trees.

Mansour pointed out that today’s activity in the village of Jalud includes more than 200 volunteers and solidarity activists. It was held in collaboration with the Dutch agricultural work committees.

The campaign “we are with you” was launched by the Agricultural Relief on October 10, to help farmers harvest olives, and includes 28 activities.

F.R.