Kathmandu— In the occupied West Bank village of Burin, Palestinian farmers are facing relentless attacks from Israeli settlers who destroy their greenhouses and crops. Despite this, members of the Land and Farming Cooperative led by Ghassan Najjar persistently rebuild what is destroyed. The cooperative has faced multiple attacks, including the destruction of five greenhouses in July 2023, but continues to work towards food sovereignty and maintaining a connection to their land.

Settler Attacks on Farmland

The United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs has recorded over 1,400 settler attacks in the West Bank through July 2023. These attacks have resulted in significant damage to Palestinian property and crops. In Burin, settlers have burned olive trees, uprooted wheat fields, and destroyed greenhouses, causing substantial financial losses for the cooperative.

Cooperative's Resilience

The Land and Farming Cooperative in Burin was founded by Ghassan Najjar in March 2020. The cooperative now includes about 25 families who work together to cultivate roughly 6 acres of land. Despite facing frequent attacks, the cooperative has developed a strategy called the “Tom and Jerry Programme,” where members return to their lands daily to assert ownership and rebuild what is destroyed.

Political and Economic Goals

The cooperative aims not only at agricultural production but also at achieving food sovereignty and political freedom. Najjar emphasizes that the cooperative fights against the Israeli occupation, Palestinian Authority bureaucracy, and capitalist structures. The cooperative reinvests 15% of its earnings into community programs and supports local families in growing their own crops.

(With inputs from Al Jazeera)

Originally published on abcnews.com.np.