Israel Releases Italian Activists Detained During Olive Harvest

Israeli forces released five Italian women activists on Saturday, October 24, following diplomatic pressure from Rome. The women were detained on Thursday in the West Bank, specifically in the Kiryat Arba settlement, while attempting to protect Palestinian farmers during the olive harvest season.

Antonio Tajani, Italy's Foreign Minister, condemned the detentions as "unacceptable," stating the women were not committing any crime. The arrests were part of a larger sweep in which Israeli forces detained dozens of international campaigners, including American politician Bradford Lander near Bethlehem. Initial reports from the Fazaa campaign indicated that 11 activists from Italy, Germany, the United States, Britain, and Australia were held in the village of Al-Buwaib, south of Hebron.

Israeli authorities initially informed Italian diplomats that the women would be transferred to the immigration authority for expulsion and repatriation. Following coordinated efforts between the Italian foreign ministry and the embassy in Tel Aviv, the women were repatriated on Saturday morning.

The incident occurred amid a reported surge in settler violence against Palestinians. The Israeli rights group Yesh Din recorded over 330 incidents of violence, theft, and tree damage during this harvest season.