Brad Lander Detained by IDF During Olive Harvest in West Bank
Brad Lander said he was detained by the IDF while harvesting olives in the West Bank alongside international volunteers.
NAHALIN, Oct 22: New York congressional candidate Brad Lander reported that the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) detained him while he was participating in an olive harvest in the occupied West Bank. Lander, a Democratic nominee for New York’s 10th District, stated he was released after about two hours, but received a warning regarding his activities.
During the harvest, Lander worked with over 40 international volunteers and Israeli participants from various human rights groups. He explained they were simply harvesting olives when IDF officials claimed their actions were illegal and disrupted public order. “All we were doing was harvesting olives,” he said, adding, “if by ‘disturbance of public order’ they mean the order of the Israeli occupation, I guess maybe…”
Beck Strober, a spokesperson for Protect the Harvest, the organizing group, indicated that most detainees were released, except for four Israeli members banned from returning for 28 days. Lander later confirmed the entire group was freed, but noted this restriction would impact the harvest’s completion.
The IDF justified the detention, stating harvesting in that region requires prior coordination with authorities for security. Lander, described as having a prominent public profile, remarked that the IDF repeatedly referred to him as “congressman,” even though he is not a current member of Congress.
He criticized the Israeli military, saying, “If they don’t want a diplomatic or international incident, they should stop state-sponsored ethnic cleansing.” Lander has been vocal about his criticism of Israel’s government and its military actions amid the ongoing conflict in Gaza.
Reports indicated that the olive grove had not been harvested since Hamas’ attacks on October 7, 2023. Palestinian farmers felt unsafe due to the grove’s proximity to an Israeli settlement, which has led to heightened tensions and violence in the area. According to a United Nations report, over 900 Palestinians have been injured in settler attacks this year alone.
During the incident, Lander and others were transported to a nearby military station. Among the detainees were several U.S. rabbis and Israel’s former deputy attorney general, Joshua Schoffman, who labeled the incident a “complete hallucination.” He expressed disbelief at being detained for simply harvesting olives. “We were asked to stop, and everyone complied,” he stated.
Rabbi Jill Jacobs, CEO of T’ruah, condemned the IDF’s actions, describing them as an abuse of power and part of a broader campaign against Palestinians. “We will not be intimidated into silence,” she stated.
