Olive harvesting in the West Bank
- Published
The annual Palestinian olive harvest is an important cultural and economic event. Nearly half the agricultural land in the Palestinian territories is planted with eight million olive trees - and there are about 80,000 farmers, most of whom operate on a small-scale basis.
But many have difficulty accessing their olive groves, because they are located close to Jewish settlements or the barrier that Israel is building in and around the West Bank. Israeli soldiers are deployed in some areas during the harvests to try to prevent clashes with settlers.
Take a look at how olive harvesting in the West Bank is a real family affair - as the fruit is picked and turned into oil.
All images subject to copyright. Photographs by Alaa Saleh and Vivien Sansour. Audio by Yolande Knell.
Slideshow production by Paul Kerley. Publication date 9 November 2012.
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