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An Olive Tree on the Frontline

An Olive Tree on the Frontline

How do olive trees strengthen the steadfastness of Palestinian landowners?

Written by Omayma from Arab Agronomists Association – Palestine

Every year on March 30th, Palestinians commemorate Land Day - a date marked by the blood of martyrs and the first collective cry against land confiscation and uprooting. Over time, the olive tree has come to symbolise resistance, steadfastness and deep-rooted belonging.

At the heart of this national and popular momentum, the Arab Agronomists Association continues its development efforts through an annual project to cultivate olive seedlings, directly targeting villages located along the Separation Barriers (segregation wall) and marginalised zones in Area C - those most threatened by land confiscation and Israelis colonisation regime and settlements construction.

More than just a tree

During the period from January to March 2025, the organisation distributed 25,927 olive seedlings in several high-risk Palestinian areas, benefiting 857 experienced farmers in 38 villages located on the daily confrontation line with the segregation wall and settlements in 7 different departments such as Bethlehem, East Jerusalem, Nablus, Ramallah, Jenin, Tulkarem and Salfeet.

This campaign has helped protect and preserve approximately 1,668 dunams (about 166.8 hectares) of agricultural land, strengthening farmers' presence and deep attachment to their land despite the constant threats.

These seedlings weren't just plants - they were green banners of defiance, silently proclaiming: This land is ours, and our roots are deeper than the walls.

Agriculture as a form of civil resistance

This initiative, implemented by the Arab Agronomists Association as part of the “One Million Olive Trees for Palestine” - Olive Tree for Peace project, did not require any training or extension services, as the farmers benefiting from the project are highly skilled and have deep knowledge of the land and its cultivation.

The campaign also included the distribution of compost, which promotes sustainable and environmental agricultural practices while reducing reliance on harmful chemical fertilisers.

In the face of constant threats - annexation, demolition and land clearing - the mere planting of an olive tree becomes a powerful reclamation of sovereignty. In many cases, a rooted and registered olive tree has served as a legal and physical deterrent against expropriation, acting as a living document of ownership and existence.

We farm to live

On Land Day, the Arab Agronomists Association raises its voice on behalf of every Palestinian farmer, emphasising that protecting the land is not just a matter of slogans, but a matter of organised and continuous agricultural work - restoring the productivity of the land and reconnecting people with their ancestral soil.

We believe that every tree we plant is a promise of life, and every handful of dirt we defend is a battle for dignity.

This project is fully supported by French associations, we started this project in 2012, and we are continuing until the dream of Palestinian farmers' access to land is realised.

Through our partnerships with international organisations and institutions like the International Land Coalition, we continue to advocate for land justice in one of the world's most marginalised and threatened regions.