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Last update - 00:00 19/10/2008
VIDEO / Abbas to Palestinians: Plant a million trees to foil settler attacks
By Nadav Shragai, Haaretz Correspondent, and News Agencies
Tags: Settlers, Benzi Lieberman 

Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas on Sunday urged his people to plant a million trees across the West Bank in response to "attacks by settlers" on Palestinian farmers during an olive harvest.

Abbas said the violence was a "dangerous Israeli escalation" and urged the international community to intervene.
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"We condemn the attacks against our Palestinian people and the harassment by the settlers and army during the olive harvest in more than one place in the West Bank," Abbas told Palestinian writers and columnists in his office in the West Bank city of Ramallah.

On Saturday, witnesses and Reuters crew said that Israeli settlers clashed with Palestinians and others helping them pick olives in the West Bank town of Hebron.

"I call upon our people to plant trees in our empty lands and hills in response to the continuous attacks by the settlers," Abbas said.

He said he would personally fund the planting of a million trees to convert the West Bank into a green area.

Abbas also condemned recent shootings of Palestinian fire-bombers by the Israel Defense Forces, and the friction between Palestinians and Jewish groups in Jerusalem and the West Bank.

"What is preventing the Israeli government from stopping these groups?" he asked.

On Monday, Palestinian newspapers quoted Abbas as saying that Israel has failed to protect Palestinians during the olive harvest. He called the situation unbearable, adding that if Israel does not crack down, it means it's not serious about reaching a peace deal with the Palestinians.

Settler leader: Palestinian olive farmers destroy own groves

Many settlers say the accusations that they harassed Palestinian olive pickers are libelous.

Benzi Lieberman, the former head of the Yesha Council of Settlements and Samaria Regional Council, recalls going with tree-clearing expert Yitzhak Scali of the Scali farms outpost to examine olive trees that Palestinians claimed were cut down by settlers.

"This expert, who didn't have any stake in either side of the dispute, saw the trees and determined they were most likely cut down by Arabs in order to maintain the grove, as is traditionally done," said Lieberman.

Lieberman is convinced Palestinian farmers often stage scenes of destruction.

"They benefit twice," he said. "Cutting the trees down benefits the groves, and they also benefit financially because the damage supposedly was caused by settlers."

Lieberman also recalled how leftists "torpedoed" an agreement between residents of the Itamar settlement and their Arab neighbors.

"Village representatives would have gone to the community and, along with Itamar residents, evaluated the crops' yield, and determined the sum Palestinians would receive for the harvest. The extreme left prevented this," he said.

Lieberman admits, however, that the so-called "hilltop youth" of the surrounding outposts often clash with the farmers.

"If we don't protect the individual rights of the Palestinians, our neighbors we will break our hold and our roots in Judea and Samaria. We have an interest in maintaining what belongs to them, and what belongs to us. They are human beings, and we must deal with them as with human beings," he said.

Orit Struk, the head of Judea and Samaria Human Rights Group, said the media's treatment of confrontations between settlers and Palestinians is hypocritical.

"More than a year ago we released a document describing hundreds of instances of Palestinians harming Jewish farmers and their property. The media wasn't interested at all, and the police weren't exactly excited either," she said.

Related articles:
  • Hebron settlers assault Palestinians, activists harvesting olives
  • Rights group: Border Policeman beat settler at West Bank outpost
  • IDF West Bank commander: Rightist violence encouraged by settler leaders
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      1.   Settlers` Logic 02:49  |  Pierre Palestinian 19/10/08
      2.   Libelous??? 05:49  |  Jim 19/10/08
      3.   The videos are also libelous and anti-semetic 05:55  |  Natallie Durson 19/10/08
      4.   What About This? 06:31  |  Yosemite 19/10/08
      5.   Ultimately, we are all settlers 06:34  |  Boris 19/10/08
      6.   Shouldn`t Be There In The First Place 08:36  |  B`Galil 19/10/08
      7.   They Must Be Joking: Look at the Video Evidence 08:41  |  Lee Kaplan 19/10/08
      8.   The OCCUPATION obstructs peace: ALL SETTLERS MUST GO! 08:56  |  Ivar 19/10/08
      9.   just go and experience 09:19  |  Laura 19/10/08
      10.   The truth betwixt-and-between... 09:43  |  Esther 19/10/08
      11.   and the settlers just come in to help them 10:12  |  ATM 19/10/08
      12.   Natalie - Anyone can put on a Kippa 10:14  |  Ibn Musa 19/10/08
      13.   Palywood has come to haunt them 10:26  |  Settler Babe 19/10/08
      14.   7 Esther TA 10:28  |  Ibn Musa 19/10/08
      15.   Do you mean that Arabs can wear kippot? 10:34  |  x-ray 19/10/08
      16.   Esther 10:37  |  Settler Babe 19/10/08
      17.   Jim have you ever visited the West Bank and seen the poverty? 10:41  |  .. 19/10/08
      18.   ATM #8... The truth can sometimes be hilarious...! 10:48  |  Esther 19/10/08
      19.   For Anonymous #14 10:54  |  eva 19/10/08
      20.   Babe #13...It would be truly remarkable..... 11:14  |  Esther 19/10/08
      21.   17 - Eva - Since you mentioned "Living" 11:17  |  Ibn Musa 19/10/08
      22.   Ibn #14... astute observation... 11:22  |  Esther 19/10/08
      23.   Poor little diddums 11:29  |  Marilyn 19/10/08
      24.   Ibn #12... forgive my misplaced frivolity... 11:34  |  Esther 19/10/08
      25.   Has this become kind of a "weekend-ritual"....???? 11:42  |  Swiss (Dino) 19/10/08
      26.   Pals uprooted trees during Acre riots too,they seemingly 11:47  |  Absolute Sweden 19/10/08
      27.   Swiss #21... it may be mutual... 12:43  |  Esther 19/10/08
      28.   ....#17 and all ye 12:54  |  truly yours 19/10/08
      29.   Oh yeah? 14:07  |  Lebnani 19/10/08
      30.   Lebnani if the attacked Pal is carrying the camera 14:31  |  x-ray 19/10/08
      31.   Lebnani 14:33  |  truly yours 19/10/08
      32.   Esther must you be reminded of the Al Dura fabrication 14:34  |  Joe Frazier 19/10/08
      33.   # 27 Esther, it`s a pity that Israel is not...... 14:43  |  Swiss (Dino) 19/10/08
      34.   Ivar # 8 Lack Of Peace Agreement Obstructs Withdrawal 14:48  |  Jeff Northridge 19/10/08
      35.   #7 Video?? Please enlighten us 15:41  |  Elihu 19/10/08
      36.   Avant Garde Agriculture in Palestine? 15:52  |  Danite 19/10/08
      37.   Marilyn # 23 What Land Theft? 16:22  |  Jeff Northridge 19/10/08
      38.   No sane Editor would pass such a "Story" without comment! 16:43  |  Shragai is a LIE! 19/10/08
      39.   That`s equivalent to saying new yorkers blew up the trade center 16:46  |  Aounist 19/10/08
      40.   Settlers destroy Israel, with the help of the Government! 17:00  |  PEACE & JUSTICE 19/10/08
      41.   #23 Esther - More than likely 17:45  |  Ibn Musa 19/10/08
      42.   West Bank ? 17:48  |  rich 19/10/08
      43.   #24 Esther 17:51  |  Ibn Musa 19/10/08
      44.   Ibn Musa #12 17:56  |  Ubn Misa 19/10/08
      45.   29 Lebnani Camera MAYBE? 17:57  |  Ibn Musa 19/10/08
      46.   Ester & others overworking this 18:10  |  rich 19/10/08
      47.   Esther (#10) He does not deny it, and sees it as a problem 18:28  |  Gil 19/10/08
      48.   Settler @13 19:02  |  Screenwriter 19/10/08
      49.   Gil #39... on "filters" and suchlike... 19:31  |  Esther 19/10/08
      50.   Aw Gil #46... 19:44  |  Esther 19/10/08
      51.   AP Television News does not lie 19:51  |  Jerry 19/10/08
      52.   Spin spin spin 20:33  |  picot 19/10/08
      53.   rich # 42 West Bank = Judea & Samaria 20:35  |  Jeff Northridge 19/10/08
      54.   Joe #32... the Al Dura issue still unresolved.... 20:37  |  Esther 19/10/08
      55.   Absolutely no scruples 20:56  |  Colin Wright 19/10/08
      56.   Cutting down trees for maintenance?? 21:23  |  Tzfonit 19/10/08
      57.   Tszfonit #55 22:03  |  Esther 19/10/08
      58.   What`s new about shifting the blame to the victims? 22:30  |  John 19/10/08
      59.   Heads of the "settler" movement. 22:37  |  Maureen Ann 19/10/08
      60.   Afterthought... 22:46  |  Esther 19/10/08
      61.   Natallie Durson 23:19  |  christa 19/10/08
      62.   rich and why the west bank has an english name 23:20  |  Labhras 19/10/08
      63.   For Jeff Northridge # 52 23:21  |  Clickfool 19/10/08
      64.   If you have no shame you could do and say what you want !!! 23:34  |  Abu Ali 19/10/08
      65.   does abbas know 1 million trees need water 00:16  |  victor hardman 20/10/08
      66.   A Million Trees? 00:22  |  Yosemite 20/10/08
      67.   THAT WOULD BE A NOVELTY 00:43  |  Ian 20/10/08
      68.   Clickfool # 60 Lots Of Places Have Biblical Names 00:54  |  Jeff Northridge 20/10/08
      69.   Important Principles to follow. 01:08  |  John 20/10/08
      70.   "Palestinians" almost certainly destroyed the trees. 01:37  |  Chaim 20/10/08
      71.   Good Idea 01:39  |  Mark Lincoln 20/10/08
      72.   Victor Hardman 01:42  |  Mark Lincoln 20/10/08
      73.   we dont need any solutions 02:02  |  muhannad 20/10/08
      74.   The Simple Solution Is To Remove Settlers From Palestinian Lands 02:04  |  Logical Thinker 20/10/08
      75.   Can you spare a dime 02:47  |  Baz Mann 20/10/08
      76.   Plant a tree.... 04:41  |  Jasper 20/10/08
      77.   Tzfonit (#55) ever heard of the term heavy pruning 06:16  |  Gil 20/10/08
      78.   #74 Of course you are right, Logical Thinker 06:17  |  Johnboy 20/10/08
      79.   #72mark shows hes ignorant about water usage too 06:18  |  victor hardman 20/10/08
      80.   How many people are needed? 06:31  |  Gil 20/10/08
      81.   Jim 06:44  |  lady from USA 20/10/08
      82.   Natallie Durson 06:45  |  lady from USA 20/10/08
      83.   Yosemite 06:48  |  lady from USA 20/10/08
      84.   Lee Kaplan 07:18  |  lady from USA 20/10/08
      85.   Ivar 07:20  |  lady from USA 20/10/08
      86.   Laura 07:26  |  lady from USA 20/10/08
      87.   Marilyn 07:38  |  lady from USA 20/10/08
      88.   Gill #77 "Heavy Pruning?" 07:44  |  Tzfonit 20/10/08
      89.   Gil on deep pruning olive trees... 07:51  |  BBSNews 20/10/08
      90.   Jeff Northridge 07:57  |  lady from USA 20/10/08
      91.   Peace of sand and sea of lies ! 08:03  |  Akram Zekaria 20/10/08
      92.   Ibn Musa 08:04  |  lady from USA 20/10/08
      93.   One law for all 08:06  |  Fair 20/10/08
      94.   Lady from the USA... 08:12  |  BBSNews 20/10/08
      95.   #81 Lady from USA to Marilyn. 08:13  |  Maureen Ann 20/10/08
      96.   Palestinians support terrorist attack on Israelis. 08:24  |  Jean Van Daem 20/10/08
      97.   christa 08:24  |  lady from USA 20/10/08
      98.   Fair 08:26  |  lady from USA 20/10/08
      99.   #82 proper pruning of olive tress CANNOT BE DONE IN THE DARK 08:26  |  victor hardman 20/10/08
      100.   BBSNews 08:30  |  lady from USA 20/10/08
      101.   Gil #77 on so called deep pruning 09:05  |  Tzfonit 20/10/08
      102.   Lady from USA, what happens to "unsaved" Jews? 09:14  |  BBSNews 20/10/08
      103.   Lady from USA on Ahmad Shah Massoud... 09:26  |  BBSNews 20/10/08
      104.   Sttlers and aggression 09:34  |  siem 20/10/08
      105.   BBSNews part 1 10:05  |  lady from USA 20/10/08
      106.   Victor #65 10:06  |  Esther 20/10/08
      107.   BBSNews part 2 10:06  |  lady from USA 20/10/08
      108.   USA settler zealots: God of Bible is God of PEACE 11:07  |  Ivar 20/10/08
      109.   palestenians are the olive tree deep rooted in earth. 11:26  |  B.Saleem 20/10/08
      110.   #44 Practice what you preach 11:27  |  Ibn Musa 20/10/08
      111.   92 Lady from USA 11:33  |  Ibn Musa 20/10/08
      112.   Not enough olive wood to go around 11:39  |  Ibn Musa 20/10/08
      113.   Lady from USA - Don`t take BSnews seriously 11:49  |  Ibn Musa 20/10/08
      114.   Plant a million trees and save the ecology 11:52  |  x-ray 20/10/08
      115.   B.Saleem 12:21  |  lady from USA 20/10/08
      116.   Ivar 12:25  |  lady from USA 20/10/08
      117.   116 critique: my 108 addresses your objection 13:06  |  Ivar 20/10/08
      118.   Dear Lady from USA 13:29  |  David James Vickery 20/10/08
      119.   To Lady from US - Your Interpretation of the Scriptures... 13:46  |  Monitor 20/10/08
      120.   It`s about time (2nd try) 14:40  |  David Teich 20/10/08
      121.   Monitor, since you brough up the subject 14:46  |  Ibn Musa 20/10/08
      122.   Monitor 14:49  |  lady from USA 20/10/08
      123.   #106 when rain falls on esther she will say its chanel no 5 14:56  |  victor hardman 20/10/08
      124.   Ivar 15:11  |  lady from USA 20/10/08
      125.   Ivar again 15:17  |  lady from USA 20/10/08
      126.   Israel was never the problem ! 15:24  |  Akram Zekaria 20/10/08
      127.   Lady from the USA 15:42  |  Ivar 20/10/08
      128.   It`s true, they DO cut their own trees- 16:03  |  Susan 20/10/08
      129.   Tree Pruning vs Destruction 16:03  |  Jasper 20/10/08
      130.   Quite right- it`s about time there is Palestinian version of the 16:14  |  Jo 20/10/08
      131.   Palestians can`t even have peace 16:22  |  lady from USA 20/10/08
      132.   #129 jasper ther is long tradition with the olive tree 17:10  |  victor hardman 20/10/08
      133.   Ivar once more 17:23  |  lady from USA 20/10/08
      134.   OK Lady, I see you`re one of the pod people... 17:30  |  BBSNews 20/10/08
      135.   Monitor, "Ibn Musa" is Ben Jabo... 17:36  |  BBSNews 20/10/08
      136.   Jasper on pruning olive trees... 17:46  |  BBSNews 20/10/08
      137.   Tzfonit (#101) O you are a Farmer, O sorry 17:48  |  Gil 20/10/08
      138.   To the so called-lady of USA!!!- 17:49  |  B.Saleem 20/10/08
      139.   BBSnews (#89) 17:53  |  Gil 20/10/08
      140.   BBSnews (#89) 17:54  |  Gil 20/10/08
      141.   #136 more hot air from michael at bbs bad news 18:04  |  victor hardman 20/10/08
      142.   BBSNews again 18:05  |  lady from USA 20/10/08
      143.   B.Saleem 18:10  |  lady from USA 20/10/08
      144.   BBSNews (#136) It seems you have come to the conclusion all 18:36  |  Gil 20/10/08
      145.   BBSNews (#136) It seems you have come to the conclusion all 18:37  |  Gil 20/10/08
      146.   When did "Judea" become "The West Bank"? 19:54  |  R`fael Moshe 20/10/08
      147.   #133-#138 20:14  |  Nemesis 20/10/08
      148.   133 is an admission, not a defense of dispensationalism 21:10  |  Ivar 20/10/08
      149.   #122 Lady from USA. Who does Jesus save? 09:33  |  Maureen Ann 21/10/08
      150.   Advice to BBS, who finally gets one right 10:50  |  David Teich 21/10/08
      151.   Monitor BSnews is pretending to be "News" 13:44  |  IIbn Musa 21/10/08
      152.   Maureen Anne 16:05  |  Aliza 21/10/08
      153.   ALL the same 19:38  |  observer 21/10/08
      154.   Labhras 23:12  |  rich 21/10/08
      155.   "Observer" the non-observant 13:53  |  David Teich 24/10/08
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