Violence, theft during olive harvest must be publicly, explicitly condemned - editorial

The Jerusalem Post editorial condemns a religious ruling by Rabbi Dov Lior permitting Jews to harvest olives from Palestinian groves in the West Bank. It argues the ruling is theft and endorses responses from Rabbi Kenneth Brander and other rabbis who reject it. The editorial calls for explicit condemnation, police investigation, and restitution.

The Jerusalem Post editorial condemns a religious ruling by Rabbi Dov Lior published on Friday, October 16, 2026, which permits Jews to harvest olives from Palestinian groves in the West Bank, including areas far from Jewish communities. Lior argued the land remains Jewish property and that Palestinians prevented from reaching their trees for security reasons could be presumed to have given up on the fruit, framing the harvest as fulfilling the commandment of conquering the land. The editorial calls for an unequivocal rejection, noting that giving religious sanction to taking another person's livelihood carries consequences for the farmer, those encouraged to take the crop, and society. It highlights a forceful response from Rabbi Kenneth Brander, president of Ohr Torah Stone, who explains that the Jewish people's historic attachment to the land does not erase private property rights of non-Jewish inhabitants, and that being unable to reach a tree does not mean surrendering its fruit. The editorial also supports the Gush Etzion rabbis and the Tzohar rabbinical organization who rejected taking Palestinian olives. It argues that Israel has a duty to protect its citizens and those whose livelihoods are affected by security restrictions, and that commanders should arrange safe harvesting and prevent exploitation of closures. The editorial warns of an educational danger, citing Brander's responsibility to youth searching for direction, and calls for Jewish education to teach restraint alongside attachment to the land. It demands that Religious Zionist leaders explicitly reject the ruling, that settlement leaders tell residents that taking Palestinian crops is unacceptable, and that police investigate theft and assault. The editorial concludes that those who have taken crops should return them, and that authorities should pursue restitution where olives have been sold.