Hardline Israeli Rabbi Dov Lior issued a religious ruling on Friday, October 16, 2026, permitting Jewish settlers to harvest olives from Palestinian-owned groves in the occupied West Bank. This directive directly countered an earlier letter from other rabbis and sparked significant uproar within Orthodox Judaism.

This ruling provides a religious justification for actions previously considered illicit, offering a theological basis for settlers to take Palestinian property. It also comes amidst escalating violence during the annual olive harvest season, raising concerns about further conflict and property rights in the West Bank.

What the records show

Rabbi Lior's ruling, published by Israeli Channel 13, states that the land belongs to the Jewish people and that harvesting olives fulfills a religious duty to "conquer the land". Lior contended that Palestinians never legally purchased the land from Jewish people or the "people of Israel," considering their possession illegitimate from his perspective. The ruling even permits harvesting olives from areas far from Jewish communities to "publicly demonstrate our ownership of the land".

This religious decree drew strong condemnation from other Orthodox Jewish groups. The Tzohar Rabbinical Organization and rabbis from Gush Etzion were among those who voiced strong opposition. These opposing groups stated that "theft is forbidden from anyone, Jew or non-Jew alike". They also maintained that only the state holds the authority to confiscate property, and as long as the state recognizes an Arab's ownership of olive trees, those trees remain their property.

The timeline

Rabbi Lior issued his religious ruling on Friday, October 16, 2026. This decision directly contradicted an earlier position taken by rabbis from the Gush Etzion religious council. Their prior letter had concluded that taking Palestinian produce constituted "forbidden theft, blasphemy, a moral disgrace, a political risk, and moral and educational harm".

The same day Lior's ruling was issued, reports detailed increased settler violence against Palestinians during the annual olive harvest in the occupied West Bank. These attacks included injuries to a Washington Post photographer, Heidi Levine.

What changed and for whom

For Jewish settlers, Rabbi Lior's ruling provides a religious justification for taking olives from Palestinian groves, an act that had previously been explicitly forbidden by other religious authorities. This could potentially embolden some settlers to engage in such acts. For Palestinian farmers, the ruling, combined with the ongoing violence, significantly increases the risks associated with the annual olive harvest, a vital economic and cultural event. The ruling also highlights a deep internal division within Orthodox Judaism regarding the application of religious law to property rights in the occupied territories.

What the subject has said publicly

Rabbi Dov Lior publicly justified his ruling by claiming that the land inherently belongs to the Jewish people. He stated that the act of harvesting olives serves to fulfill a religious duty of "conquering the land" and publicly demonstrates Jewish ownership. Lior also asserted that Palestinians never legally purchased the land from Jewish individuals or from the "people of Israel," thereby deeming their possession illegitimate from his perspective.

What we could not confirm

We could not confirm the exact number of olive groves or trees that have been or might be affected by actions stemming from this ruling. We also could not confirm what specific legal or religious repercussions, if any, Rabbi Lior or any settlers acting on his ruling might face from Israeli authorities or religious bodies.