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Did Palestinians Destroy Their Own Olive Trees and Then Blame Israel? Settlers Say They Have the Video to Prove it

Oct. 16, 2012 7:17am Sharona Schwartz

(AP Photo/Nasser Ishtayeh)

The olive harvest has begun in the West Bank (known historically to Jews as Judea and Samaria) which means accusations are once again being launched against Jewish settlers for vandalizing Palestinian olive trees. Just last week, the UN’s Middle East envoy said he was “alarmed” by attacks on olive trees and that Israel should do more to protect Palestinian property, while the PLO’s Hanan Ashrawi went so far as to call for the deployment of international observers to protect Palestinian olive groves.

Turns out, what the mainstream media has been reporting may not the entire story.

Fed up with the often undocumented charges, the Shomron (Samaria) Settlers Council decided to investigate and on Sunday asked Jewish residents to start carrying cameras in their cars, even offering a photography course with the hopes of capturing images showing what’s really happening on the ground.

On Monday night, Shomron Regional Council spokesman David Ha’ivri e-mailed journalists, including TheBlaze, about what they found on the first day of their video deployment. He writes:

And indeed, this afternoon, already in the first days of the harvest season, two volunteers from the Shomron Settlers Council caught “red-handed”, some Arabs and another man who joined them, likely a foreign Leftist activist, as they were cutting down trunks and branches of olive trees adjacent to the settlement of Elon Moreh, just a short distance from the town and close to homes.

The Arabs and the Leftist extremist were sawing through the trunks and branches and leaving them near the cut off trunks in an area near the settlement’s homes, as well as in another location near the entrance to Elon Moreh.

Council volunteers photographed them in the act and called the police.

Chairman of the Shomron Settlers Council Benny Katzover said: “It’s clear to everyone that if the alert volunteers had not recorded the provocation in real time, the whole world would have shouted and condemned the settlers and the State of Israel.”

Ynet reports that on Monday, Palestinian farmers filed complaints about uprooted trees. The settlers say those trees were part of the same grove their videographers had documented [watch it below] and that Palestinians were trying to falsely accuse settlers as those responsible. Ynet reports:

The Palestinians, however, insist that the trees that the settlers documented are not the same ones that the farmers claim were felled. Ismail, one of the farmers who were caught on the settlers’ video, told Ynet: “The settlers are just slandering us; we were trimming our trees and tending to them, but those that were chopped down are in a different plot, farther away. We saw we were being filmed.”

B’Tselem – a group that monitors Israeli settlement construction – reports that 450 Palestinian-owned trees have been damaged or uprooted since October 10.

The mainstream media watchdog CAMERA last week emphasized the importance of finding reliable eyewitnesses and urged caution when reporting on the olive tree vandalism. It cited a 2006 report from Maariv:

Inspectors caught Palestinian youths in the act as they were cutting olive trees, claiming they did it at the request of the owner of the grove. The police suspect that he did it for compensation. Now additional Palestinian complaints will be investigated.

Are the settlers hurting the Palestinians or are the Palestinians hurting themselves? Frequently Palestinians farmers complain that settlers cut their trees and hurt them and their livelihoods. At times even IDF soldiers and police had to protect the Palestinians farmers in the territories during the olive harvest season. But the police suspect now that in some cases the Palestinians themselves are the ones cutting the trees and then blaming the settlers and demanding compensation from the [Israeli] Civil Authority.

The pro-Israel blogger Elder of Ziyon has been following the olive drama for years, during which he has reported on misleading allegations Palestinians have made when blaming Jewish settlers for tree vandalism. At least twice they claimed religious Jews had chopped down trees on the Jewish Sabbath during which it is forbidden to engage in any physical labor. Palestinians cutting down their own trees and then claiming damages, as apparently occurred on Monday, is not unprecedented.

The story doesn’t even end there. The blogger Yisrael Medad, who lives in the Jewish community Shiloh also in Samaria, reported on Friday that 125 olive trees were damaged. “No, not Arab olive trees,” he wrote. “Jewish-planted and owned olive trees.”

“I cannot tell a lie, father” – the phrase known to every American schoolchild who learns the fabled George Washington tale about his honest response after cutting down his father’s beloved cherry tree. Today we see the evidence that olive trees are being chopped down. Question is, who is telling the truth and who is telling the lie?

Watch Monday’s video here, provided by the Samaria Settlers Council, the only visual documentation that until now has been posted of the event. TheBlaze cannot verify additional information about the wider surroundings beyond that provided by the settlers’ group. At one point, it appears soldiers walk up the hill, but no further context is provided:

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Comments (65)

oldincarolina
Posted on October 16, 2012 at 10:33am
This sounds like something that the Dems would do doesn’t it ?

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ChiefGeorge
Posted on October 16, 2012 at 10:16am
Their hate is so desperate!

If these great and decent people could ever get their collective hands on Israel proper, they would bushwack the whole thing simply because it was planted with Jewish hands. I’m serious! Israel gave the Palestinians greenhouses that were fully operational and what did they do? They gutted them, looted the pumps and wiring.

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- kindling
  Posted on October 16, 2012 at 11:15pm
  That is because over 4000 years has not changed them one bit. They will never change. They started as a bunch of hairy thieves and they are still a bunch of hairy thieves. Just read what the Bible says about them and what they will become. The only thing that will make things better is for our Lord and Savior to return. Soon I hope!
  
  Report this comment
TheGrtDcptn
Posted on October 16, 2012 at 9:55am
‘The arabs and the leftist extremist’…

No surprise…of course they lie, they serve the father of all lies…

I stand with Israel…

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Minnaloushe
Posted on October 16, 2012 at 9:39am
“Mommy, why is George Bush chopping down all our olive trees?”

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ZAP
Posted on October 16, 2012 at 9:29am
More work place violence,I see… Send them to Fort Hood to be tried

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SgtBarrett
Posted on October 16, 2012 at 9:18am
In accord with Sharia Law they are allowed to destroy themselves to further their war against the world. What a bunch of idiots…

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- lobster
  Posted on October 16, 2012 at 9:30am
  These are the same people that controlled “Palestine” for hundreds of years and left a legacy of absolutely nothing on the land G_d gave the Jews 3000 years ago by land contract. There is nothing they won’t stoop to to blame Israel. They allow their children to blow themselves up. Why should they care one iota about hundreds of trees. I think the rootstocks will come up again, but it will be decades before those trees will be productive again. DUMBIES…..
  
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- crezap
  Posted on October 17, 2012 at 2:01pm
  Being complicit in the destruction of their children (put on this vest, don’t worry paradise awaits you and we will have more kids because the UN provides) why would destroying an olive tree have any greater consequence? The UN will provide (?Inshallah?)
  
  Report this comment
Ilikepeople
Posted on October 16, 2012 at 8:45am
Uh oh, if everyone destroys everybody’s olive trees how will Jesus find a mount of olives to stand on? Or is it some other kind of olives? Hmm, a very, very interesting question.

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- AMENDMENT
  Posted on October 16, 2012 at 8:56am
  lol
  
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- dutchy
  Posted on October 16, 2012 at 2:39pm
  It is just the same old thing, Palestinians blaming the Israelis for sabotage. Well, the Israelis were smart and took a video to prove who the liars are.
  
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SamIamTwo
Posted on October 16, 2012 at 8:42am
In accord with Sharia Law they are allowed to lie to further their war against the world.

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GETLIFE
Posted on October 16, 2012 at 8:36am
KINGCANON,
Politics sent Jesus to the cross and, oh yeah,
that IS the same Jesus who lived 600 years before Islam was founded.

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Meyvn1
Posted on October 16, 2012 at 8:35am
I wouldn’t be surprised. Seems like a typical “palestinian” behavior.

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- Minnaloushe
  Posted on October 16, 2012 at 9:15am
  Good thing they don’t have levies or they’d undermine those too, either physically or through malappropriation of funds.
  
  Oh. Wait.
  Oops! Sorry. Wrong story.
  
  Report this comment
Gustav
Posted on October 16, 2012 at 8:32am
It’s very hard to keep caring about all of this when we are now talking about the evil destruction of olive trees. I mean really? Olive tree vandalizing is now world news? Give me a break. Sorry, but I could care less about stupid things like this.

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- RJJinGadsden
  Posted on October 16, 2012 at 8:40am
  GUSTAV, The crux of this story is that the Palestinians are willing to destroy their own property in an attempt to make Israel look bad in the media. It just points out how low they will go.
  
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- GETLIFE
  Posted on October 16, 2012 at 8:42am
  Have to disagree with you there, GUSTAV.
  The politics of the”plight” of the palestinians is all over the msm every day.
  But you’ll never hear anything about this there.
  Every shred of info I can get which goes beyond the liberal agendas of the msm,
  I’m taking it.
  
  Report this comment
- AMENDMENT
  Posted on October 16, 2012 at 8:44am
  I came away from this news piece thinking this is about Palistinians trying to make a false claim that the Jews are trying to destroy the Palistinian extra virgin olive oil and soap trade.
  
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- Gustav
  Posted on October 16, 2012 at 10:41am
  I agree with you if 100% of olive trees were indeed destroyed by Palastinians and then blamed on Isrealie settlers. This issue has been going on for years. Some settlers have and do indeed destroy crops, and I’m sure some Palastinians have a do destroy them theirselves so they can blame others. My point is, when both sides are fighting over trees, and both have been wrong, it’s beyond us to care at this point.
  
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- Tyler520
  Posted on October 16, 2012 at 1:14pm
  Many people make a living from those trees.
  
  How about you remind me to give a damn when your business goes belly up, or up in fire from vandalism…I’ll pretend to care.
  
  Report this comment
- RDavis49
  Posted on October 16, 2012 at 1:26pm
  Then GUSTAV, why are you here reading this? If you could care less then close your fly hole and go read something else. You obviously missed the entire point of the story anyways, so why stick around? See Ya….
  
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- Gustav
  Posted on October 16, 2012 at 3:27pm
  I read this to simply remind you that your beating a dead olive tree. Israeli settlers have been destroying Palestinian olive trees for years, and now there is a report and evidence that Palestinians sometimes destroy their own trees to blame it on the settlers. Worry about something else, move along, move along…
  
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AMENDMENT
Posted on October 16, 2012 at 8:28am
The real reason they chop down the trees… LOL

Sahih Muslim Book 041, Number 6985
Abu Huraira reported Allah’s Messenger (place bacon upon him) as saying: The last hour would not come unless the Muslims will fight against the Jews and the Muslims would kill them until the Jews would hide themselves behind a stone or a tree and a stone or a tree would say: Muslim, or the servant of Allah, there is a Jew behind me; come and kill him; but the tree Gharqad would not say, for it is the tree of the Jews.

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- Landon410
  Posted on October 16, 2012 at 8:34am
  doesn’t that sound full of peace? that would be a good bed time story for kids
  
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- AMENDMENT
  Posted on October 16, 2012 at 8:55am
  More than a bed time story, the Korans collection of Hadiths are a real Hollywood action blockbuster in the making…. surprised Hollywood hasn’t already made Mohammad or Genghis Khan modern day heroes like the did with Che Guevara movie, The Motorcycle Diaries.
  
  Report this comment
RJJinGadsden
Posted on October 16, 2012 at 8:26am
At least the Japanese Bushido was based on a system of honor. They certainly did not treat their women and children in such wantonly reckless manner.

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- RJJinGadsden
  Posted on October 16, 2012 at 8:44am
  Wow GONZO, They removed your post that this was in response to.
  
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- Gonzo
  Posted on October 16, 2012 at 9:01am
  Who knows?
  
  Report this comment
RJJinGadsden
Posted on October 16, 2012 at 8:24am
Harvesting olives was too hard anyway. Now they have more time to make bombs.

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- Zipit
  Posted on October 16, 2012 at 9:08am
  RJJ! Guess I’ll be switching back to Gibson’s!
  
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Ducky657
Posted on October 16, 2012 at 8:09am
Wait–these men killed their own olive trees and allowed someone to film it? This proves what I have said all along–these folks are not now and never have been interested in a peaceful resolution. I remember the media attacking Governor Romney for voicing the truth regarding this issue in the undercover (illegal) video regarding the 47%. Even though he is not my dream candidate he looks better every day!

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- PaxInVeritate
  Posted on October 16, 2012 at 10:52am
  DUCKY657…
  “I remember the media attacking Governor Romney for voicing the truth regarding this issue in the undercover (illegal) video regarding the 47%.”
  As far as the 47% is concerned, I was hoping Romney would have played the audio of the “Obama Phone” woman and say, “That is the 47%.”
  
  Report this comment
1592
Posted on October 16, 2012 at 8:04am
Of corse they did. Just like the DNC shot out the window in BO headquarters in Colorado.

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- RDavis49
  Posted on October 16, 2012 at 1:36pm
  And you know you’re right…… This Democrat political party and its corrrupt agenda will stop at nothing to discredit any and all opponents, likely even to the point of having someone snuffed out and spin the blame. We’re dealing with a pretty desperate crime mob here trying to hold on to power, control and money…. that’s exactly what they are.
  
  Report this comment
tzion
Posted on October 16, 2012 at 7:59am
Considering their history, this isn’t surprising. After all, who could forget the staged picture showing a Palestinian dressed as an IDF soldier “beating” a Palestinian child?

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Tickdog
Posted on October 16, 2012 at 7:53am
lol olive trees… whaaaa whaaaa he touched my olive tree….

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jackact
Posted on October 16, 2012 at 7:50am
…Palestinians hate trees too?
No hope for these 1st century savages.
Can’t these Neanderthals be forcibly relocated to Jordan where they belong?
Any takers?

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- 700P
  Posted on October 16, 2012 at 8:57am
  Jordan was responsible for the largest massacre of Palestinians in history. Quite a few (no one knows for sure) were killed in Kuwait after Desert Storm as they became willing (and overenthusiastic) accomplices of Saddam’s army in committing atrocities and looting. They are deservedly pariahs
  
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- jackact
  Posted on October 16, 2012 at 11:13am
  700P
  I cannot defend the Jordanian regime anymore than I can defend the Obama regime.
  But history already wrote this chapter.
  In 1947 following WW2 it was decided by Churchill, FDR and company to redefine new boundary lines in the middle east (and create a few new countries).
  Jordan accepted their new territory gladly, but under one condition; all rebellious and violent citizens be relocated (much like the Mariel boat lift from Cuba to Miami in 1980).
  Those indigents are now called Palestinians, whom without a country, proclaim Palestine as their own.
  Even though it was a gift from Israel. After three generations the hatred, violence and unrest of this bunch of savages continues.
  That’s history.
  
  Report this comment
700P
Posted on October 16, 2012 at 7:47am
Bill Ayers….the tyranny of spell check

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700P
Posted on October 16, 2012 at 7:41am
Obviously the farmers aren’t the ones cutting down the trees but instead its PLO community organizers with Bill Layers on sabbatical. Arabs will privately tell you they despise Palestinians, who they view as outsiders (they are the remnants of the Phillistines) but they are both Muslim and s convenient propaganda tool against Israel

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momrules
Posted on October 16, 2012 at 7:36am
In any dispute between the savage and the civilized man I always believe the Israelis.

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KingCanon
Posted on October 16, 2012 at 7:36am
Religion sent Jesus to the cross, therefore, religion comes in many forms. This religion, Islam, is much older than Christianity. Christianity nearly smothered Islam after Christ’s death as righteousness spread around the world. That righteousness has now been smothered by wickedness and immorality. Jealousy and hatred, masqueraded within Islam for a long period of time, has now reared it’s ugly head to coincide with wickedness and immorality. You see, Islam only grows when watered and fed by the seed of immorality and wickedness.

We, who now have no control over world events, are caught in the crossfire between global acts of good and evil. It all sounds like a fairytale EVEN as we WATCH it play out every single day of our lives.

Tomorrow’s headlines are in the Bible today whether you want to accept them or not. Choose you this day whom you will serve and be content in that choice. I am thankful to have been chosen by God to be alive during this period of history. Read the Bible and know the future. I do not know when the trumpet of God will cease time, however I do know everything… and I mean everything… is currently lining up just as the Bible states.

Keep your eyes on Israel, God’s timepiece. She is now encompassed about by enemy and in the news EVERY SINGLE DAY. ISRAEL IS THE KEY!

Each of us will live forever, even Bill Nye the science guy. The Bible I speak of gives you the choice where you will spend eternity. Choose wisely!

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- Mia Cav
  Posted on October 16, 2012 at 8:45am
  Accoarding to http://www.uri.org/kids/world_isla_basi.htm “Muhammad was born in Mecca, Saudi Arabia around 570 CE.” Therefore Islam cannot predate Christianity.
  
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- SamIamTwo
  Posted on October 16, 2012 at 8:48am
  Stop making up your own facts.
  
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Snowleopard {gallery of cat folks}
Posted on October 16, 2012 at 7:35am
Events are coming to a head shortly; the Palestinians and Hezbolla are playing up the international community here at home and abroad against Israel, and soon enough war will commence.

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Gary_K
Posted on October 16, 2012 at 7:23am
Just another part of the big lie propaganda game.

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