Hardline Israeli rabbi ruling on stolen Palestinian olives prompts uproar

What the report says

Prominent Israeli Rabbi Dov Lior has sparked condemnation after issuing a religious ruling that, according to Al Jazeera, says settlers may pick olives from Palestinian orchards in the occupied West Bank and treat them as belonging to Jews. The article says the ruling was published on Friday and argues that Palestinian landowners who could not reach their trees during the harvest, because of Israeli restrictions, have already been compensated by earlier access to the fruit.

The ruling was widely criticized by Palestinians and also drew pushback from some other Jewish religious voices. Al Jazeera reported that rabbis from the Gush Etzion religious council called the harvesting of Palestinian crops theft and morally wrong, while Tzohar, an organization of Orthodox rabbis, said only the state has authority to confiscate property and that olives remain Palestinian property as long as the state recognizes that ownership.

The timing of the controversy coincides with heightened violence during the West Bank olive harvest. Al Jazeera said at least 19 people were injured in 34 attacks by Israeli soldiers and settlers on Friday, and that an American photojournalist was assaulted while covering the unrest. The outlet also reported vehicle arson and worsening barriers for Palestinian farmers trying to reach their land.

The report places Lior within hardline settler politics, noting his influence among extremist settler groups and his role as a spiritual guide linked to the far-right Otzma Yehudit party. Analysts quoted by Al Jazeera said the backlash may also reflect political efforts to frame such views as isolated, rather than mainstream, within Israeli society.