Olive trees: Palestinian symbol of identity and connection to the land

Olive trees are a powerful symbol of Palestinian resistance and resilience against the illegal settlements. They are a way of life lost to occupation. They stand for the Palestinian people's ties to their homeland because they can withstand droughts and thrive in unfavorable soil. 

Olive trees have a 5,000-year lifespan and dynamic fruit production, which is comparable to Palestinian history and land continuity. Palestine is home to some of the oldest olive trees on Earth. 

Some families have trees that have been in their family for many generations, and the October olive harvest season has a sociocultural significance, as families gather to collect olives while remembering that their mothers and fathers had cared for the same trees years earlier, according to Relief Web. 

Olive trees have long been a reliable source of income in the warm Mediterranean region of the Levant. In the Palestinian territories, olives and their oil continue to be the main or secondary source of income for between 80,000 and 100,000 people. Approximately 70% of the fruit produced in the area is produced by this industry, which also makes up 14% of the local economy, Arab News reported. 

These resilient trees are so often featured in Palestinian literature and art, even among the diverse diaspora, as representations of stability in a time of upheaval, independence in difficult circumstances, and tranquilly throughout times of conflict.

In the West Bank, Israeli settlers have always attacked Palestinian villages during the olive harvest season in October, attempting to intentionally uproot history. These attacks include beating farmers, chemically spraying crops, and uprooting hundreds of olive trees. Such acts of destruction and violence are not new. More than 9,300 trees were destroyed in the West Bank between August 2020 and August 2021 alone, according to the International Committee of the Red Cross. 

Palestinian farmers have been obliged to plant roughly 10,000 new olive trees in the West Bank every year in reaction to these attacks in order to save the 5,000-year-old industry in the area from becoming extinct, and to preserve their history and identity, Arab News reported. 

Palestine’s olive oil is regarded as some of the best olive oil in the world. Given the threat that global warming poses to olive trees worldwide, this oil will probably increase in value over the next several years. 

Some scientists and agronomists think that climate change benefits olive trees. They estimate that 97% of the world's olive oil producers could see an increase in olive production with an annual temperature increase of 1.8 degrees Celsius, according to This Week in Palestine. 

Additionally, olives are an essential component of the Palestinian cuisine. Pickled olives are fundamental in breakfast, lunch, and dinner menus, as they offer substantial nutritional advantages. Olive oil is also used in many recipes, the most well-known of which is “zaatar w zeit,” which is a fluffy flatbread that is dipped in oil and then generously dusted with a powder made of thyme, sesame seeds, and spices, Arab News reported. 

Olive oil has a long history of usage beyond the kitchen, including as a source of fuel for oil lamps, an insecticide, and a natural remedy for dry skin, nails, and hair.

Olive trees will always be part and parcel of the Palestinian socioeconomic identity and will stand steady throughout generations.