Israelis Deny Harming Palestinian Olive Trees

NPR | By Eric Westervelt

Published January 21, 2006 at 3:25 PM EST

Palestinian farmers and human rights groups are demanding the Israeli police and army do more to protect Palestinian farmland from vandalism by militant Jewish settlers.

The Israeli government says more than 2,000 Palestinian olive trees have been vandalized in the West Bank, damaged and in some cases uprooted this harvest season.

Settlers deny they're behind it, saying the damage is self-inflicted by Palestinians who want compensation.

Eric Westervelt

Eric Westervelt is a San Francisco-based correspondent for NPR's National Desk. He has reported on major events for the network from wars and revolutions in the Middle East and North Africa to historic wildfires and terrorist attacks in the U.S.

See stories by Eric Westervelt

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