Protect The Harvest is an international coalition mobilising activists to provide a protective presence to stand with Palestinian olive farmers in the West Bank against Israeli settler violence which threatens to wreck the farmers’ 2026 olive harvest.
This direct action solidarity can help Palestinian communities defend themselves against settler violence. The involvement of Israeli organisations, like the Palestinian-Jewish social and anti-war movement Standing Together, in Protect The Harvest shows that there is an anti-occupation movement within Israel.
Although it is a minority, international support can help it grow, as Matt Wrack pointed out in his speech at TUC Congress.
Ed Miliband’s move for sanctions against products from or work for Israeli settlements in the West Bank is positive.
Better than seeking a false radicalism of a complete boycott of relations with and groups in Israel, which would be ineffective and have grave dangers of spillover hitting the Jewish community in Britain, it should be extend positively by making the ban on arms sales to Israel complete and by active support for Protect The Harvest.
