From Seattletimes · · 1m 30s
Israeli forces detain US candidate during West Bank harvest
Israeli forces detained US congressional candidate Brad Lander during West Bank olive harvest, releasing him hours later.
In brief
Israeli forces detained US congressional candidate Brad Lander during West Bank olive harvest, releasing him hours later. Israeli forces detained US Democratic candidate Brad Lander during West Bank olive harvest but released him after he was identified as a congressional candidate. Originally reported by Seattletimes.
Israeli forces detain US candidate
Israeli forces detained US Democratic congressional candidate Brad Lander as he helped Palestinian farmers harvest olives in the occupied West Bank.
Lander released after identification
Lander was released hours later after it became known he was a congressional candidate, while dozens of other volunteers remained in custody.
Annual harvest violence
The incident occurred during an annual olive harvest marked by violence between Israeli settlers and Palestinian villagers attempting to gather crops.
IDF security justification
Israeli military said farmers and volunteers failed to seek prior approval for harvest and were detained due to security risk posed by uncoordinated harvest near an Israeli community.
IDF claims activists provoke
The military later stated the arrival of dozens of activists was an act intended solely to provoke, undermining the harvesting process.
Lander's election context
Lander is running in the Nov. 3 elections to represent a heavily Democratic New York City district in the U.S. House of Representatives.
Lander's social media statement
Lander wrote on social media that the occupation is a crime under international law and harvesting olives isn't a crime under any law he knows.
Here's the gist
Israeli forces detained US Democratic candidate Brad Lander during West Bank olive harvest but released him after he was identified as a congressional candidate.
