A Jerusalem court ruled on Wednesday that Israeli police lacked reasonable suspicion against volunteers from Rabbis for Human Rights, cancelling bans that had restricted most of the group from entering the West Bank during the olive harvest.
According to the organisation, police presented no evidence from their investigation during the court proceedings. The decision came one week after the bans were imposed, coinciding with the peak of the harvest season.
Detention in Nahalin
On the previous Wednesday, police detained more than 70 individuals in Nahalin, near Bethlehem. The group included more than a minyan of rabbis. Authorities levelled three accusations against the volunteers, none of which were upheld.
The accusations
The first allegation was “disturbing the peace.” Volunteers stated that they had spent approximately 90 minutes harvesting olives on private Palestinian land at the invitation of the landowners, in a grove that the family had been unable to access for three years.
The second charge was “violating a known legal order.” Rabbis for Human Rights reported that a closed military zone order was issued only after a settlement security coordinator contacted the police, and that the order appeared to have been signed after the group's arrival. The volunteers indicated their willingness to leave immediately but were detained nonetheless.
The third accusation was “entering Area A.” The organisation stated that its bus had travelled directly from Jerusalem to Nahalin.
Impact of the bans
Although the court found the accusations unsubstantiated, the bans prevented dozens of volunteers from accessing olive groves for several days. The group noted that police faced no accountability for the detentions or restrictions.
“The ruling is a small win for our efforts, but cannot distract us from the reality of what is happening now in the West Bank,” the organisation said in a statement.
Ongoing demolitions
While picking olives on Thursday morning, volunteers reported hearing loud explosions nearby. Approximately three kilometres away, Israeli forces demolished Palestinian homes in the village of Beita. The group later learned that additional demolitions had taken place in Al-Walaja.
Continued commitment
Rabbis for Human Rights affirmed its continued commitment to supporting Palestinian communities, stating that it would not be diverted by the court outcome and would remain engaged in the broader struggle for justice.