SOUTH AFRICAN DIPLOMAT: LET PALESTINIANS PICK OLIVES

Drawing from shared experiences of settler colonialism, apartheid and racism, South Africans have long empathised with and defended Palestinians. In this 3 November 2021 video, South African diplomat Lesiba Machaba stands up for Palestinian farmers who are being harassed by an Israeli soldier simply for picking olives in the town of Tuqu’ southeast of Bethlehem. According to the mayor of the town, Tayseer Abu-Mefreh, Machaba went to pick olives alongside Palestinian farmers when they were met with tear-gas canisters and stun grenades. They were then forced to leave at gunpoint. Abu-Mefreh, alongside three other Palestinians, were briefly held by the soldiers for daring to pick olives. Another olive picker was later detained for his participation.

Even though Tuqu' is a Palestinian town located in the West Bank, the Palestinian National Authority has no control over the administrative and civil affairs of 98.5 per cent of the land. This is due to an Israeli law that classifies various parts of the West Bank as 'Area C,' meaning Israel-controlled territory. Over 60 per cent of the West Bank falls under this category, making Palestinian movement off limits or heavily restricted.

Let us know what you think.