US Congressional Candidate Brad Lander Detained and Released by Israeli Forces During Olive Harvest

On Wednesday, U.S. Democratic congressional candidate Brad Lander was detained by Israeli forces while he was aiding Palestinian farmers with the olive harvest in the West Bank. He was released a few hours later, but several other volunteers, including American rabbis, remained in custody.

The Israeli military stated the detentions occurred because the farmers and their supporters had not obtained prior approval for their harvest, citing security concerns. Lander, who is running for election on November 3 to represent a Democratic district in New York, expressed on social media that the occupation is a violation of international law and viewed the detentions as efforts to undermine Palestinian rights.

Notably, this year’s olive harvest has been reported as exceptionally violent, with a significant increase in incidents involving Israeli settlers. The advocacy group Protect the Harvest indicated that no violence preceded the arrival of Israeli forces during the incident involving Lander.