9,000 Palestinians workers will be working the olive harvest . Photo: IDF Spokesperson

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Security forces will provide continuous security for workers during the olive harvest season in Judea and Samaria, which began recently and is expected to continue until November.  Meetings were held between Civil Administration officials and their Palestinian counterparts, including senior representatives from various villages, to coordinate schedules to work the harvest.

As part of the preparations for the harvest, it was confirmed that 9,000 Palestinians workers will be working the olive harvest while other thousands will be involved in other agricultural activities in the areas. There are over 10 million olive trees stretching across some 900,000 acres of land out of which 25,000 are located in the Judea and Samaria region.

In general, the harvest in most areas of Judea and Samaria does not need to work in coordination with the IDF and the Civil Administration, but due to lessons learned from security needs in past years, there will be defined areas and coordination with the IDF and Civil Administration.

In addition, the defined areas will be closed to Israelis to prevent friction. Representatives from the IDF, the Civil Administration and the Israeli Police will provide security for any events held in the fields.

This year, as in past years, extensive involvement is expected from Israeli aid organizations. Representatives of the Civil Administration met with representatives of organizations and agreed with them of the procedures and principles guiding their operations during the harvest season.