Democratic congressional nominee Brad Lander was briefly detained by the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) on Wednesday while participating in an olive harvest with Palestinian farmers in the West Bank.
The incident occurred near the village of Nahalin, where Lander, the Democratic nominee for New York’s 10th Congressional District, joined a group of rabbis and volunteers as part of Protect the Harvest, a nonprofit organization that assists Palestinian farmers during the olive harvest season. According to Lander’s campaign, the group had harvested olives on Monday and Tuesday without incident before being stopped by armed military members and police on Wednesday. Lander stated in a social media post that he and the group were placed on buses and later released with a warning.
Israeli authorities confirmed that most detained volunteers had been released by Wednesday afternoon, though Lander did not specify how many remained in custody when he was released. The IDF issued a statement noting the detentions but did not provide further details on the reasoning behind the enforcement action.
Lander, who is Jewish and has previously expressed support for Palestinian rights, described the incident in a video posted by his campaign. He stated that the group was detained while harvesting olives in a grove near Nehalim and added, “The occupation is a crime under international law. Harvesting olives isn't a crime under any law I know.” Lander later clarified that he was released with a warning, attributing it to his public profile, and noted that he was not yet a congressmember at the time of the incident.
The IDF has not publicly explained the specific circumstances of the detentions, though such actions are typically taken under military regulations governing access to certain areas in the West Bank. The region, which is under Israeli military control, has long been a focal point of tensions between Israeli authorities and Palestinian farmers over land access and security concerns.
Lander’s participation in the harvest aligns with his broader advocacy for Palestinian rights, which has been a recurring theme in his political career. As a former New York City comptroller and council member, he has been vocal about issues affecting Palestinian communities, including access to agricultural land and water resources. His campaign did not immediately respond to requests for further comment on the incident.
The incident comes amid heightened scrutiny of U.S. political figures’ involvement in the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, particularly as it intersects with domestic policy debates. Lander’s detention has drawn attention to the broader role of international volunteers in supporting Palestinian farmers during harvest season, a practice that has drawn both praise and criticism from different political and advocacy groups.