**Palestinian Woman Killed by Israeli Soldier While Collecting Olives**
A 59-year-old Palestinian woman, Hanan Abu Salmeh, was shot and killed by an Israeli soldier on Thursday afternoon. She was collecting olives near the village of Faqqua in the West Bank.
Despite coordinating with the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) to pick olives, the soldier fired several shots as other family members fled for cover. The IDF is investigating the incident, but Hanan’s relatives have little hope that her killer will be brought to justice.
**Increased Risks for Palestinian Farmers**
Hanan’s death was not an isolated incident. Palestinian farmers in the West Bank face increasing risks, including organized attacks by Israeli settlers who want to take their land permanently. The United Nations (UN) says that hundreds of olive trees have been intentionally cut or burned.
Farmers in the area have reported being attacked without provocation while trying to harvest olives. In some cases, they have even been forced to leave their land with broken limbs. Last year, Israeli restrictions on Palestinian farmers’ access to olive groves left over 96,000 dunums of olive groves uncultivated.
**Economic Impact**
The loss of these olive groves has had a significant economic impact on the region. Abd al-Rahman Khalifa of a local factory said that incomes were down last year and will be worse this year as fewer people are able to harvest olives.
In a good season, olives can be worth over $70m (PS54m). However, with fewer trees being harvested, the economic benefits for Palestinian families are dwindling. This is a critical issue for many Palestinians who rely on olive cultivation and harvesting as their main source of income.