JERUSALEM (JTA) — Jewish settlers and Palestinian olive pickers clashed in the West Bank.
The residents of the northern West Bank settlement of Shvut Rachel, including of nearby illegal outposts, held a rally to protest the harvest because they say it poses a security threat.
Following the protest, the settlers and Palestinians began throwing stones at each other. The groups were separated without incident, according to Israeli news sources.
According to Palestinian sources quoted by the French news agency AFP, five harvesters were injured and the settlers fired gunshots in the air.
The Israel Defense Forces approved the rally and gave the Palestinians permission to pick olives in the area.
The settlers say the harvesters use the time to gather intelligence about the nearby settlements and launch attacks from the olive groves.
