21st October 2005
Every year at the beginning of October, the annual olive harvest begins in Palestine. This year’s
harvest, which we started today, is the joint effort of the farmers, the JAI, EEC, the ATG and the community. The survival of tens of thousands of Palestinian families is more dependant than ever on their ability to harvest their olives and market the oil they yield.
Today, we are joined by 34 international volunteers, who will spend 10 days with us in the fields, as a form of solidarity with the Palestinian people. We hope that our participants will enjoy the programme.
Welcome dinner at Paradise Hotel
More than 34 people from all over the world arrived safely at Paradise Hotel in Bethlehem. The participants were well served with a Palestinian cultural meal, which they all enjoyed. After dinner, Rami Bahbah, the Campaign Officer welcomed all who were present and sent his sincere thanks and appreciation to all the participants. After that Adnan Ateyah, the JAI coordinator, gave a speech about the political aspects of the situation and the role of the olive picking programme.
In his speech he highlighted the following: 
The programme is not only about picking olives, but also a means to show solidarity with Palestinians in general, and Palestinian farmers in particular.
Through the participation of internationals in activities such as this olive picking programme, the Palestinians feel that they are not isolated, they are not alone, and that at least people see the injustice done by the powerful, who use this power to confiscate land, build the Wall of Separation and restrict movement, over and above the occupation itself.
Through international volunteers, Palestinians can reach the world to bring their side of the story. It is only through activities such as this, that we can be in a position to change what is portrayed by the media.
The final message was to ‘end the occupation of Palestine and only then could the conflict end’.
After this, members of staff, volunteers and participants introduced themselves and their countries.
