LONDON: The purchase of olive oil from Israeli settlers was prohibited in a fatwa issued on Tuesday by Grand Mufti of Jerusalem Mohammed Ahmad Hussein.

Hussein warned Palestinians against empowering settlers through the purchase of olive oil and olives stolen from Palestinian trees in the occupied West Bank, according to the Palestine News Agency.

He urged official and public efforts to stop the sale and purchase of olive oil that has appeared in Palestinian shops. Some settlers have advertised 17.5 liters of olive oil for 475 Israeli shekels ($154). Hussein said that purchasing the goods supports settlers’ actions in seizing Palestinian land and displacing its people.

An estimated 100,000 Palestinian families who depend on harvesting olive trees for their livelihoods have faced increasing attacks since late 2023 from settlers, entry restrictions to their fields imposed by soldiers, as well as land confiscations.

October traditionally marks the start of the harvest for Palestinians, many of whom regard olive trees as a national and cultural symbol. The Palestinian Ministry of Agriculture reported on Monday that more than 98,000 olive trees have been damaged in the occupied West Bank over the past three years due to Israeli policies and violent actions by settlers, resulting in a financial loss for farmers of $66 million.