A group of senior Israeli ex-military officials helped Palestinian farmers yesterday to harvest olives, in a gesture of solidarity amid an upsurge in militant settler violence targeting Palestinians in the occupied West Bank.
“When I see what is going on here, when I see these guys come... and hit women and kids, it reminds me of stories from my parents from the time when the Jewish people suffered,” said former Major General Eyal Ben-Reuven, who compared the militant settler attacks to pogroms.
Ben-Reuven said he began organising a group of around 30 senior military officials – including six generals – several months ago following an increase in settler violence that many Palestinians say is enabled by the Israeli military.
The Israeli military has said it condemns violence and it operates to maintain security in the West Bank.
“Occupation is the main problem of Israeli society. I believe we must deal with it, we cannot ignore it. We must try to solve it together with the Palestinians,” said former Colonel Doron Meinert.
Ben-Reuven and others said they were also concerned about the impact of settler violence on Israel’s global reputation.
“Strategically, it’s creating problems for Israel in the West and the US,” said Jonatan Yoni, a former brigadier general, who said he was motivated by the plight of Palestinian farmers and by opposition to Israeli annexation. Nimr Nazzal, the owner of land near the village of Qusra where the ex-military personnel were helping out, said without them it would be impossible for him to access his olives due to settler attacks.
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