Israeli Military Releases Brad Lander After Detaining Him During Palestinian Olive Harvest

US congressional candidate Brad Lander has been released from Israeli military custody after being detained alongside dozens of volunteers while helping Palestinian farmers harvest olives in the occupied West Bank.

Lander, the Democratic Party’s nominee for New York’s 10th Congressional District, said he was released with a warning after being held for approximately three hours on Wednesday, October 21. He attributed his release to his public profile, noting that he was a congressional candidate rather than a sitting member of Congress.

The former New York City comptroller was among a group of approximately 80 volunteers, including American and Israeli rabbis and other international activists, who had joined Palestinian farmers harvesting olives near the village of Nahalin, south of Bethlehem.

In a post on social media following his detention, Lander maintained that the group had been peacefully harvesting olives. He criticised the Israeli occupation of Palestinian territory and argued that gathering olives should not constitute an offence.

Israeli military and police authorities said the group had been detained because the harvest had not been coordinated with the relevant authorities. The military said prior coordination was required in the area and described the activity as a security risk.

However, reporting by The Times of Israel raised questions about that explanation, citing an official map distributed to Palestinian farmers that appeared to show the location did not fall within an area requiring prior coordination. Israeli authorities subsequently offered a different explanation for the map’s omission.

Lander called for the release of the other detained participants, arguing that the incident reflected broader restrictions affecting Palestinians’ ability to access their farmland, harvest crops and move freely.

The detention came amid growing concerns over violence and restrictions during the annual olive harvest, an important cultural tradition and source of income for Palestinian families. Rights groups and activists have reported attacks on farmers, damage to olive trees and other incidents affecting agricultural communities in the West Bank.

Lander, who has criticised Israel’s conduct in the war in Gaza, is running in the November 3 US midterm elections. His detention has drawn attention to the risks faced by international volunteers accompanying Palestinian farmers as a form of protective presence.

Israeli authorities later said that 72 people detained during the incident had been released, with some reportedly instructed to stay away from the harvest area. Four foreign nationals were expected to face hearings concerning possible deportation.

The incident has renewed scrutiny of Israeli restrictions on Palestinian agricultural activity and the treatment of activists seeking to support local communities in the occupied West Bank.