US Congressional Nominee Brad Lander Detained During West Bank Olive Harvest

Lander, the Democratic nominee for New York’s 10th district, documented the experience on social media, sharing an image of himself flanked by a masked soldier and a police officer. According to the organization Rabbis for Human Rights, the group had been working for two hours before military personnel arrived to disrupt the harvest. While Lander was subsequently released, other volunteers—including non-Israeli and non-Palestinian citizens—faced transfer to a military base for further processing.

Israeli authorities maintained the area was off-limits, though participants asserted they had no prior notice of the restriction. The incident highlights the growing tensions surrounding the Palestinian agricultural sector, which accounts for 8% of the regional GDP and employs over 60,000 workers. Rabbi Jill Jacobs, also detained during the sweep, characterized the work as a peaceful act of solidarity. The detention occurs against a backdrop of rising settler-related violence in the West Bank, leaving the legal status of the remaining detainees uncertain as no formal charges were immediately filed.