We left the Rosh HaAyin train station – a short quarter-of-an-hour drive to the village, no more. Approaching it we saw the trail leading to the olive tree groves which we were planning to harvest. An army jeep blocked the entrance

At the village center we split into groups and drove in the inhabitants’ crowded private cars because the bus could not enter the trail. The army jeep was no longer there when we arrived.

3 hours later, 3 soldiers arrived, one of them masked. They held their rifles at the ready, and were with their commander, a major. They let us know that we must not harvest olives here, although this is privately-owned Palestinian land, because ‘the colonists don’t want them here and we, too, do not wish the Palestinians to harvest their olives’.

Just so, straight out!

We agreed ahead of time that the head of the group argue with them in order to play for time and we shall go on harvesting.

After about 10 minutes they announced that they were giving us one hour and then we must leave.

An hour later a new argument began over every tree, they insisted until finally the Palestinians asked us to give in. Perhaps they might manage to come another day, for fear of the army’s harassment.

Thus, our olive harvest ended at 1:30 p.m.

This harvest was financed and managed by Rabbis for Human Rights, and many Jewish Americans were there as well as Israelis and several Europeans.