Palestinian farmers rebuild greenhouses after settler attack in Burin

August 31, 2026 at 11:17 PM2 min

This digest was compiled by AI from multiple sources — links to the originals are below.

Settlers destroyed five greenhouses belonging to a farming cooperative in Burin, occupied West Bank, on July 14. The attack caused about 30,000 shekels ($10,000) in damage to plastic sheeting and killed 9,000 tomato seedlings worth 8,000 shekels ($2,670). The cooperative, which supports about 25 families, is rebuilding despite ongoing military raids and settler attacks.

Key Facts

On July 13, a settler attempted to graze his flock inside one of the cooperative's five greenhouses in Burin.
The next night, about 10 settlers destroyed all five greenhouses, causing roughly 30,000 shekels ($10,000) in damage to plastic sheeting alone.
About 9,000 tomato seedlings worth 8,000 shekels ($2,670) were bought the same morning and died within hours because there was nowhere else to plant them.
Burin lost more than 1,500 olive and other trees in the weeks after the greenhouse attack, according to cooperative member Ghassan Najjar.
Of the 10,000 square metres (2.5 acres) of wheat the cooperative planted, 7,000 square metres (1.7 acres) were burned before harvest this summer.

Greenhouse Destruction

On July 13, a settler tried to graze his flock inside one of the cooperative's five greenhouses in Burin. Cooperative members struggled to keep the livestock away until Israeli border police arrived. Ghassan Najjar, a cooperative member, challenged the officers over why a settler was permitted on land the army had designated a closed military zone. The settler left angry and said in Arabic, "You'll see." The next night, roughly 10 settlers arrived and gutted all five greenhouses, cutting away plastic sheeting and destroying irrigation networks.

Cooperative Losses

The cooperative estimated damage at roughly 30,000 shekels (about $10,000) in plastic sheeting alone. About 9,000 tomato seedlings worth 8,000 shekels ($2,670) had been bought that same morning for planting. The seedlings died within hours because there was nowhere else to put them. The cooperative pools land, labour and produce among about 25 families. Najjar said this year is the most difficult for the cooperative, facing many attacks by settlers and the army.

Wider Land Losses

Just weeks later, Burin lost more than 1,500 olive and other trees, according to Najjar. Some trees were burned by settlers, while others were cut down or uprooted by military bulldozers along a local route accessible to Israelis but not Palestinians. The wheat harvest fared little better: of the 10,000 square metres (2.5 acres) the cooperative planted, 7,000 square metres (1.7 acres) were burned before farmers could harvest the crop this summer. Most of Burin's farmland now sits in closed military zones, renewed every month or two, Najjar said.