WEST BANK (WABC) — New York congressional candidate Brad Lander was detained for about three hours Wednesday while harvesting olives with Palestinian farmers and activists in the West Bank, according to Lander.
Lander had been in the West Bank since Monday, harvesting olives alongside rabbis, activists and Palestinian farmers. The harvest was also a protest over the Israeli government’s treatment of Palestinian farmers who depend on the harvest
Israel Police arrived Wednesday and detained Lander and others, saying they needed permission to be there. They were placed on buses.
Lander said he was released with a warning and suggested his public profile played a role in the decision.
“I’ve been released from IDF custody with a ‘warning,’ apparently because of my public profile (I told them I wasn’t even a congressmember yet, just a nominee),” Lander wrote. He added that “several dozen rabbis & participants harvesting olives with me are still in detention.”
Lander spoke to Eyewitness News about the detention later Wednesday.
Asked how long he was detained, Lander said, “I was in detention for probably about three hours. This morning, we showed up and we harvested for probably two, two and a half hours before Israeli soldiers showed up, stopped us from harvesting, put us on a bus, and detained us.”
Mayor Mamdani condemned Lander’s detention in a social media post.
“Harvesting olives is not illegal. The occupation is. I am thankful that Brad has been released.”
Israel police said Lander needed authorization to be there and was aware of that requirement.
“…after the IDF reported that the harvest had not been properly coordinated with the relevant military authorities and that harvesting was not authorized without such coordination, all those involved were detained and taken to a police station.”
Lander disputed that account when asked about the requirement for prior authorization and coordination with the IDF.
“Yeah, that’s just a lie. Coordination is not required. This was private Palestinian land. We didn’t cross a checkpoint. We didn’t go past a barrier. There were no soldiers at the beginning.”
Lander later said the group had not been warned before being detained.
“Had they come and said, this area is now closed. If you don’t leave, you’ll be arrested. We would have left. They came and said, essentially, this is now a closed zone, and you are in detention.”
Lander traveled to the West Bank this week as part of the “Protect the Harvest” coalition, which he said was working to support Palestinian farmers during the olive harvest and promote “human rights, safety, equality & freedom for both Palestinians and Israelis.”
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