Palestinian Youth to Support Palestinian Farmers during Olive Harvest
Strengthening Land Protection and Community Resilience
Through its programme of “ Civil and Democratic Participation of Palestinian Youth in partnership with Alternative Information Center (AIC) and Al-Awda Center for Childhood and Youth , ActionAid Palestine(AAP) supported Palestinian youth initiatives seeking to help Palestinian farmers and show solidarity with them during Olive Harvest in the villages of Walageh in the West of Bethlehem governorate and Shweikah in the north of Tulkarem governorate during Olive Harvest .They also aim to promote the role of youth in strengthening the resilience of farmers in their lands.
(Photo of youth while they are helping Palestinian farmers during olive harvest in Walageh village in the West of Bethlehem -West Bank -Copy rights for ActionAid Palestine 2020)
These advocacy activities implemented by youth aim to highlight the effect of settlements and barrier on the lives of Palestinian and their livelihoods. They also shed the light on the humanitarian consequences the Palestinian farmers suffer from due to the restrictions of access to land, confiscation of water sources, markets, livelihoods and effect of settlers’ violence on security and physical safety of farmers.
(Photo for youth groups at the barrier surrounding Walageh village before starting picking olives -Bethlehem-West Bank -copy rights for ActionAid Palestine 2020)
The 24 attacks documented by OCHA, which took place between October 7th and 19th, resulted in the injury of 23 Palestinian farmers, the damage and burning of over 1,000 olive trees, and the theft of large amounts of produce.
(Photo for the barrier surrounding Shweikah village in the north of Tulkarem governorate -West Bank-Copy Rights for ActionAid Palestine 2020)
Olive products are essential component of Palestinian culture and economy. According to Palestinian official figures , there are more than 12 million olive trees planted across the West Bank, making the olive harvest “one of the biggest sources of economic sustainability for thousands of Palestinian families.
The olive oil industry reportedly supports the livelihoods of more than 100,000 Palestinian families and accounts for a quarter of the gross agricultural income of the occupied territories.
(Photo for a Palestinian female farmer while she was picking her olives in Shweikah village in the north of Tulkarem governorate -West Bank-Copy Rights for ActionAid Palestine 2020)
(Photo of Raneem Faraj during picking olives in Walageh village -Bethlehem-West Bank -copy rights for ActionAid Palestine 2020)
Raneem is a Palestinian young woman who volunteered in olive picking in Walageh saying: “this participation is important since it strengthens our affiliation with land .Land and olives symbolize to our case which Israeli Occupation tries to damage them using different means”.
(Photo of Muhannad Mubarak during picking olives in Walageh village -Bethlehem-West Bank -copy rights for ActionAid Palestine 2020)
Muhannad is a Palestinian youth who participated in olive pocking saying: “we aim to strengthen the resilience of the Palestinian farmers and send a message stating that we are here to stay, and this is our land”.
(Photo of Shareef during picking olives in Walageh village -Bethlehem-West Bank -copy rights for ActionAid Palestine 2020)
Shareef Shaheen is a youth community activist from the south of West Bank came to Walageh saying: “we participate in olive harvest to support the residents of Walageh and we are here to stay like the existence of olives”.
Background Information
ActionAid
ActionAid is a global federation working for social justice and gender equality and eradicate poverty. ActionAid works worldwide to empower people living in poverty and exclusion with focus on women’s rights .ActionAid works directly and closely with communities, civil society organizations, women movements and social groups and movements and other allies to tackle root causes of poverty and oppression. ActionAid deliver grassroots programmes to utilize efforts of global struggle movements working for a just, fair and sustainable world. Based on human rights-based approach and women rights’ principles, ActionAid seeks to fairly re-distribute powers through solidarity, empowerment, awareness campaigns and creating alternatives to ensure that everybody enjoys the right to a life of dignity, and freedom from oppression.
ActionAid in Palestine (AAP) is a part of that federation which started its work in Palestine in 2007 to strengthen the resilience of Palestinian People as ActionAid believes that they should enjoy their rights to freedom, justice and self-determination. AAP implements a number of programs through its engagement with communities and women and youth groups seeking to empower them and enhance their influential civil and political participation to understand their rights and undertake collective activism to address the protracted rights violations resulting from the prolonged occupation of Palestine. AAP works simultaneously to enhance their leadership capacity and knowledge to practice their citizenship in holding authorities and other duty bearers to account.
For more information, please contact
Riham Jafari
Coordinator of Advocacy and Communication in Gaza Strip and West Bank
Mobile:
+972 (0) 595242890
Office:
+972 (0) (2) 22 13 137
Email:
.