Brad Lander Detained by Israel Defense Forces While Volunteering in Occupied West Bank

Brad Lander, a New York congressional candidate running for election in the 10th district, has made a startling revelation about his recent activities in the occupied West Bank. He was detained by the Israel Defense Forces while participating in an olive harvest as part of a volunteer effort.

Lander, a former New York City comptroller, was among over 40 international volunteers, including Americans and Israelis affiliated with human rights groups, who were harvesting olives for Palestinians. However, Israeli authorities took issue with their actions, claiming they were causing a disturbance to public order. Lander insisted that the group's intentions were peaceful and that all they were doing was assisting in the harvest.

Lander was later released with a warning after being detained by the IDF. Notably, it appears not everyone involved has been set free, as Beck Strober, a spokesperson for Protect the Harvest, one of the groups participating in the volunteer effort, reported that only four out of those detained remain in custody.

The group's Israeli members will face a 28-day ban from returning to the West Bank following their detention, according to Beck Strober, a spokesperson for Protect the Harvest. This restriction is likely to impact the group's volunteer efforts in the region.

Lander has expressed his frustration with the situation, stating that he tried to clarify his status as a primary winner rather than a member of Congress during his detention. His comments come amid a backdrop of intense scrutiny over his stance on Israel, which dominated his 10th district primary race against Rep. Dan Goldman.

The area where the group was volunteering had not been harvested since Hamas' October 7 attacks, with Palestinian farmers reportedly hesitant to tend to their olive trees due to the proximity of an Israeli settlement. The IDF has stated that harvesting in this region requires advance permission from relevant authorities.

Tensions in the occupied West Bank remain high following recent attacks by Israeli settlers on Palestinians and others. Last week saw multiple incidents, including one where Washington Post photojournalist Heidi Levine was injured while covering an event. European diplomats were also targeted in another attack.

According to a United Nations report from July, over 900 Palestinians have been injured in settler attacks since the start of the year. The same report documented 76 Palestinian deaths in the occupied West Bank caused by Israeli forces or settlers, or resulting from injuries sustained during clashes with these groups. These incidents have added to the already volatile atmosphere in the region.

As tensions escalate, a group of volunteers, including Lander, were harvesting olives when they spotted what they believed was an Israeli settlement's security car watching them. Shortly after, IDF soldiers and police officers arrived at the scene, asking the group for their passports.

The group of harvesters and activists were then taken to a military station in the West Bank, where they were presumably questioned about their activities.

Rabbis affiliated with the organization that sponsored the trip to protect the olive harvest were also among those detained, according to a statement from the organization's communications firm.