• Violation: Cutting and destruction of 200 olive trees 
• Location: Qusra town, south of Nablus city 
• Date: May 2026 
• Perpetrators: A group of Israeli colonists 
• Victims: 4 farming families consisting of 18 individuals 

Details:

Qusra town, located south of Nablus governorate, witnessed a new attack on Thursday morning, 7 May 2026, carried out by a group of Israeli colonists in the “Al-Zawiya” area, northeast of the town. The attack originated from an Israeli colony established on the town’s lands, specifically within Plot No. (7).

According to field investigation, the Israeli colonists carried out a large-scale act of destruction targeting approximately 200 mature and productive olive trees, aged between 45–50 years, owned by four families from the town. Electric saws were used to cut and damage the trees in what was described as a deliberate and violent manner, causing severe damage to agricultural land and the complete destruction of a large number of trees.

This attack represents a direct blow to the agricultural sector in the town, as the targeted olive trees constitute part of the families’ agricultural and economic heritage, serving as a primary source of income, in addition to their environmental and national significance linked to the Palestinian land.

Field documentation indicates that this incident is the second of its kind within less than a month, following another attack carried out on 3 May 2026, in which 400 olive trees were uprooted and destroyed.

Details of Victims (Farmers)

Field Context

According to field records by the Land Research Center team, Qusra is considered one of the Palestinian villages most frequently exposed to ongoing escalation by Israeli colonists in recent years, particularly in the eastern and northern areas of the town.

The town has lost more than 45% of its land due to colonial expansion and the establishment of Israeli colonies and outposts, most notably the colony of Majdalim, in addition to several other outposts scattered across the town’s lands.

Field data indicates that the attacks were not limited to land confiscation, but also included extensive destruction of the agricultural sector and rural infrastructure, including the cutting and destruction of agricultural roads, damage to crops, demolition of agricultural rooms and stone terraces, as well as repeated attacks targeting olive trees through burning, cutting, and uprooting.

These practices reflect a systematic policy aimed at restricting Palestinian farmers and gradually pushing them to abandon their agricultural lands, paving the way for the imposition of a new colonial reality through the expansion of Israeli colonies and outposts at the expense of Palestinian land and its agricultural and environmental resources.

Testimony of the Victim

Farmer Abdul Azim Ahmad Mahmoud Awda, one of the most affected victims, stated to the field researcher:

“My family owns an agricultural plot of about six dunums located in the Al-Zawiya area north of Qusra. The olive trees planted there are more than 50 years old, and in good seasons they used to produce no less than 25 tins of olive oil annually.”

He added:

“This land is not merely a source of income for me and my brothers; it is a family inheritance passed down from our ancestors, carrying deep emotional and historical value linked to childhood memories and decades of agricultural work.”

He pointed out that the Al-Zawiya area is known for its agricultural character and its extensive olive groves, along with its diverse natural environment and rural landscape, which has strengthened their connection to the land beyond economic aspects into a deep identity-based and emotional bond.

Awda explained that Israeli colonists coming from a nearby colonial outpost established last year deliberately cut the olive trees in a fully intentional manner, causing severe psychological and moral harm to him and his family, especially since the targeted trees represent part of the family’s history and presence on the land.

He also noted that repeated attacks in the town have led to the isolation of large agricultural areas and the prevention of farmers from accessing them, making this land one of the few remaining sources of livelihood for his family. He stressed that what is happening represents a direct targeting of Palestinian farmers and a systematic attempt to force them off their land, emphasizing that the loss was not only economic but also a blow to the family’s memory and historical heritage.

Environmental Impact

The cutting and uprooting of olive trees in Qusra caused direct environmental damage to the agricultural system and vegetation cover in the area, particularly since the targeted trees are long-standing trees that form an essential part of the ecological balance and rural character of the town.

The destruction of these trees has weakened natural and agricultural vegetation cover, increasing the risk of soil erosion and loss of fertility, especially in the mountainous areas and agricultural slopes surrounding the Al-Zawiya area.

Continued attacks by Israeli colonists also contribute to a decline in biodiversity due to the destruction of natural habitats associated with trees and crops, in addition to negatively affecting the historical agricultural landscape for which the town has been known for decades.

These violations further undermine agricultural sustainability and threaten farmers’ ability to maintain and cultivate their lands in the future, amid repeated acts of land reclamation, destruction, and organized attacks on the agricultural sector.

Legal commentary:

The Palestinian environment, in general, is subjected to numerous environmental violations by the Israeli occupation, disregarding all international and national laws and conventions related to the protection of environmental rights. The right to live in a clean and healthy environment is a fundamental human right that has been inherent to mankind since the beginning of creation. The occupation often attempts to present itself as being concerned with international environmental issues, despite having signed major environmental protection agreements, such as the Basel Convention in 1989, the Rotterdam Convention in 2008, the Stockholm Convention in 2001, and the Ramsar Convention in 1971, as well as air quality and climate protocols. Nevertheless, Israel continues to violate all of these treaties without accountability or oversight.

In addition to the provisions regarding the right to enjoy a clean and healthy environment for all those under military occupation according to international laws, conventions, and treaties, such as the International Covenant on Economic, Social, and Cultural Rights, adopted by the United Nations General Assembly in Resolution 2200A (d-21) on December 16, 1966, in Article (1), paragraph (2): "...All peoples, in pursuit of their own objectives, have the right to freely dispose of their natural wealth and resources without prejudice to any obligations arising from the international economic cooperation based on the principle of mutual benefit and international law. In no case shall a people be deprived of its means of subsistence...".

Undoubtedly, the violations carried out by the Israeli occupation contradicts with the laws of the occupation state itself before any other laws. Referring to the details of this case, the Israeli Penal Code of 1977 and its amendments stipulate that trespassing on someone else's property to commit a criminal act punishable by law is an offense. By reading Article 452 of the Israeli Penal Code, we find that the law punishes those who commit an offense or cause damage to property such as (a water well, a water reservoir, a dam, a floodgate, planted trees, a bridge, a tank, or a water cistern) with a penalty of five years imprisonment.

In addition to, Article 447 of the Penal Code states: "Anyone who does any of the following with the intent to intimidate, insult, or harass the property owner or commit a crime shall be punished by imprisonment for two years:

(1) Enters or crosses the property;

 (2) After entering the property legally, remains there unlawfully.

(b) A crime is committed under this section if the offender carries a firearm or a cold weapon, and the punishment is imprisonment for four years."

By reading the text of this article, we find that the Israeli Penal Code criminalizes the mere act of entering someone else's property without permission, with the intent to insult, harass, or intimidate, and punishes this act with two years of imprisonment. The punishment increases to four years if the offender commits any act on someone else's property using a weapon or a sharp tool, referred to as a "cold weapon." This is explicitly criminalized in the text of Article 447 of the aforementioned Israeli Penal Code. Additionally, a penalty of 5 years imprisonment is imposed on those who cause damage to property mentioned in Article 452. Therefore, the violator, the "settler," should face a compounded violation: the first for entering a property that is not theirs, and the second for trespassing on and cutting down the planted trees, resulting in environmental harm.

Therefore, the Israeli aggressor blatantly violates both international laws and treaties, as well as the internal laws of the "occupying state," in a clear violation. Consequently, the "Israeli judiciary" must hold the settlers accountable and punish them for these actions based on the provisions of their own laws. However, there is no legal accountability for the aggressors by the Israeli judiciary. Despite this, every human being on this earth has the right to live in a clean, healthy, and safe environment, free from any violation or aggression against it.

مشروع: حماية الحقوق البيئية الفلسطينية في مناطق "ج" SPERAC IV - GFFO

Disclaimer: The views and opinions expressed in this report are those of Land Research Center and do not necessarily reflect the views or positions of the project donor; the Norwegian Refugee Council.

إخلاء المسؤولية: الآراء ووجهات النظر الواردة في هذا التقرير هي آراء ووجهات نظر مركز أبحاث الأراضي ولا تعكس بالضرورة وجهات نظر أو مواقف الجهة المانحة للمشروع؛ المجلس النرويجي. للاجئين