Brad Lander, the Democratic nominee for New York’s 10th congressional district, was among 90 people detained by Israeli authorities in the occupied West Bank on Wednesday. Rabbis for Human Rights, an Israeli rights group, said the detentions happened while Lander was accompanying Palestinian farmers during the olive harvest.
Lander is a Jewish American and former New York City comptroller who has also run for mayor. He is an ally of New York Mayor Zohran Mamdani and has criticised Israel’s war in Gaza. He faces a congressional election next month.
Police arrests follow settler attacks on foreigners
Earlier, Israeli police said on Monday that they had arrested 10 people in the West Bank after settler attacks on an American photographer and a French mayor. Those attacks drew international condemnation, but the government’s messages on the matter were mixed.
Also read: Settler attacks on European diplomats in occupied West Bank
Police said they raided several locations across the occupied territory. They seized cars and potential evidence linked to the attacks.
Violence rises during West Bank olive harvest
The arrests come as violence increases in the West Bank, where Israeli settlers have disrupted the annual olive harvest of Palestinians. Major General Moshe Finchi, the Israeli police’s West Bank commander, cited “the severe incidents of violence over the past weekend” as the reason for the operation.
Finchi said suspects were held on suspicion of involvement in the violence, violating a military commander’s order on a closed military zone, and illegal construction.
