West Bank Farmers Defy Settler Attacks and Military Raids to Rebuild Their Land

Greenhouses owned by the Burin Land and Farming Cooperative face regular attacks by Israeli settlers in the occupied West Bank village of Burin. Ghassan Najjar, a member of the cooperative, often receives phone calls alerting him as the Israeli army moves through the village streets to shutter shops. Alongside about two dozen other farmers, Najjar and his peers focus on maintaining their connection to the land rather than fighting back with arms.

In addition to military raids, the farmers confront escalating settler violence across the West Bank. On July 13, a settler attempted to graze livestock inside one of the cooperative's five greenhouses. When cooperative members and Najjar challenged border police about the intrusion into a designated closed military zone, the settler threatened them. The following night, roughly 10 settlers destroyed all five greenhouses, cutting plastic sheeting and ruining irrigation networks, causing approximately 30,000 shekels in damage. Newly purchased tomato seedlings worth 8,000 shekels also died within hours.

The cooperative pools land, labour, and produce among about 25 families, amplifying the impact of these losses. Weeks later, Burin lost more than 1,500 trees to settler arson and military bulldozers, while 7,000 out of 10,000 square metres of planted wheat were burned before the summer harvest. Human rights organisations note that such attacks contribute to the forced displacement of Palestinian communities.

To counter these pressures, cooperative members practice what they call the "Tom and Jerry Programme," going to their land early every morning, leaving when the army arrives, and returning once the army departs. Founded by Najjar in March 2020, the cooperative currently counts about 25 members—17 of whom are women—farming approximately 25,000 square metres around Burin.

The cooperative aims to achieve food sovereignty by reinvesting 15 percent of its sales back into village programming and supporting families in need. Despite facing arrests, such as Najjar's year-long administrative detention, and ongoing destruction by settlers from nearby outposts and settlements like Yitzhar and Har Brakha, the farmers remain resolute in their determination to protect their land and dignity.