- Title: WEST BANK: Palestinian prime minister helps farmers harvest olives
- Date: 14th October 2009
- Summary: ABOUD VILLAGE, WEST BANK (OCTOBER 11, 2009) (REUTERS) BANNER OVER THE ENTRANCE OF ABOUD AGRICULTURAL LANDS GREETING PALESTINIAN PRIME MINISTER SALAM FAYYAD WHO CAME TO PICK OLIVES WITH THE FARMERS FARMERS AND OFFICIALS WALKING THROUGH LANDS VARIOUS OF PALESTINIAN PRIME MINISTER SALAM FAYYAD PICKING OLIVES (SOUNDBITE) (Arabic) PALESTINIAN PRIME MINISTER, SALAM FAYYAD, SAYING: "We support our farmers, especially during the repeated attacks by the (Israeli) settlers against our farmers, their farms and land. The attacks can only be described as terrorists attacks." OFFICIALS AND FARMERS IN THE FIELD PEOPLE PICKING OLIVES FAYYAD PICKING OLIVES (SOUNDBITE) (Arabic) PALESTINIAN FARMER, WAJIH IBRAHIM, SAYING: "The settler doesn't care about this. He is an enemy of the trees, of human civilisation, and an enemy to the whole world. They cut 78 olive trees which were located at the entrance of the village. This is my livelihood, like other farmers. More than 4,000 olive trees were taken because of the construction of the wall (barrier), from the eastern side of the village. Also on this side, the wall took land and olive trees." MORE OF PALESTINIAN PRIME MINISTER PICKING OLIVES BEILIN VILLAGE, WEST BANK (FILE) (REUTERS) PROTESTERS CARRYING PALESTINIAN FLAGS IN A DEMONSTRATION AGAINST THE CONSTRUCTION OF ISRAEL'S BARRIER, SOLDIERS STANDING ON THE OTHER SIDE OF THE FENCE BARRIER AREA WHERE THE FENCE SURROUNDS BEILIN VILLAGE NILIN VILLAGE, WEST BANK (FILE) (REUTERS) PALESTINIAN YOUTH THROWING STONES TOWARD ISRAELI SOLDIERS WHO ARE BEHIND THE CEMENT BARRIER SURROUNDING NILIN VILLAGE WIDE OF AREA WHERE THE CEMENT BARRIER IS SURROUNDING WEST BANK VILLAGE OF NILIN, WITH JEWISH SETTLEMENT ON TOP OF HILL
- Embargoed: 29th October 2009 12:00
- Keywords:
- Topics: Domestic Politics
- Reuters ID: LVA80WOQ5R5GKSO4VNY131VCN4VJ
- Story Text: Palestinian Prime Minister Salam Fayyad helped farmers harvest olives on National Olive Day in the West Bank village of Aboud on Sunday (October 11).
The Prime Minister called the olive tree "a symbol of the Palestinian people's determination."
"We support our farmers, especially during the repeated attacks by the (Israeli) settlers against our farmers, their farms and land. The attacks can only be described as terrorists attacks," Fayyad told reporters.
Farmers from Aboud, 30 kilometres west of Ramallah, were joined by visiting foreigners and locals in the annual olive harvest.
The month of October is olive-picking season in the Palestinian territories, where the fruit is a major agricultural crop.
But drought, on top of Israeli-imposed restrictions on the movement of Palestinians in areas near Israeli settlements, or in areas where Israel's separation barrier is being constructed, have led to bad recent harvests. Palestinian farmers expect no better from this year's olive crop.
Many extremist settlers have been accused of threatening violence against Palestinians during this year's harvest.
"The settler doesn't care about this. He is an enemy of the trees, of human civilisation, and an enemy to the whole world. They cut 78 olive trees, which were located at the entrance of the village. This is my livelihood, like other farmers. More than 4,000 olive trees were taken because of the construction of the wall (barrier), from the eastern side of the village. Also on this side, the wall took land and olive trees," Palestinian farmer, Wajih Ibrahim, told Reuters Television.
The Israeli barrier that snakes through the West Bank is a network of concrete walls, wire fences and ditches.
Israel says the barrier is a security measure that has prevented Palestinian attacks and in particular suicide bombings by militants.
Over half of the planned 709 kilometre barrier has been built despite the International Court of Justice in the Hague issuing an "advisory opinion" - a judgement with no legal force - in 2004, declaring it illegal.
Palestinians say the barrier is part of a land grab annexing viable land for an independent Palestinian state. - Copyright Holder: REUTERS
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