US congressional candidate detained by Israeli forces in West Bank

Summarised from 5 outlets · Updated 21 Oct, 14:51 · Archive

Brad Lander, a Democratic nominee for US Congress, was detained by Israeli forces while harvesting olives with volunteers in the West Bank.

Brad Lander, the Democratic nominee for New York's 10th congressional district in the November election, was detained by Israeli military forces on Wednesday along with about 80 other volunteers while harvesting olives in the West Bank near Bethlehem.

The group included American and Israeli rabbis, activists and volunteers, as well as British volunteers. Israel's former deputy attorney general was among those detained. They were taken to a police station by Israeli forces.

Lander posted on social media from a bus: 'I've been detained by the IDF, along with a group of rabbis and volunteers. We were simply harvesting olives in a grove near Nahalin in the West Bank.'

According to Rabbis for Human Rights, an Israeli organization, the volunteers had been accompanying Palestinian farmers harvesting olives near a village close to Bethlehem when Israeli forces arrived about two hours after the harvest began. Israeli forces told the group the area was a closed military zone. Rabbis for Human Rights said the volunteers could not have known this in advance.

Rabbi Jill Jacobs, chief executive of the American rights organization T'ruah, was among those detained. She told Reuters the group had offered to leave the area but was instead put on buses by Israeli forces and taken to a police station.

Lander, a Jewish American and former New York City comptroller, is an outspoken critic of the Israeli government. He describes himself as a liberal Zionist who believes Israel cannot be a true democracy while denying Palestinians their human rights and freedom. He has condemned Israel's occupation of the West Bank and Gaza, supported restricting US military aid to Israel, and said Israel's military campaign in Gaza following the October 2023 Hamas attacks amounts to genocide.

Lander won his primary race against prominent Israel supporter Dan Goldman. He is backed by New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani.

How it is being reported

• Mamdani-backed congressional candidate says he was detained by Israeli militaryBrad Lander says he was detained by the Israeli military while harvesting olives with Rabbis for Peace volunteers in the West Bank on Wednesday.Fox News · 21 Oct, 14:31
• Israeli military detains US politician Brad Lander and rabbis at olive harvestAbout 80 US, Israeli and British volunteers held near Nahalin in West Bank and taken to police station The Israeli military has detained about 80 US, Israeli and British volunteers helping Palestinians harvest olives near Bethlehem, including the New York Democratic congressional nominee Brad Lander, several rabbis and Israel’s former deputy attorney general. “I’ve been detained by the IDF, along with a group of rabbis and volunteers,” Lander posted from a bus taking him to a police station. “We were simply harvesting olives in a grove near Nahalin in the West Bank. The occupation is a crime…The Guardian · 21 Oct, 14:30
• 80 Israelis and Americans, including NY Democrat Brad Lander, detained in West BankU.S. Democratic congressional nominee Brad Lander was detained along with about 80 American and Israeli rabbis and activists by Israeli security forces as they helped Palestinian olive harvesters.NPR · 21 Oct, 14:28
• US congressional candidate detained by Israeli authorities in West BankOne of the detained volunteers said the group had offered to leave the area but was instead put on buses by Israeli forces and taken to a police stationIndependent World · 21 Oct, 14:03
• NY congressional nominee Brad Lander says he was detained by the IDF in the West BankNY congressional candidate Brad Lander was detained by the IDF in the West Bank while harvesting olives alongside a group of rabbis and volunteers.New York Post · 21 Oct, 13:16

In this story: Brad Lander · Israeli Defense Forces · West Bank · Rabbis for Human Rights · Bethlehem · Zohran Mamdani · T'ruah · Jill Jacobs

This summary was written by AI from the headlines and standfirsts above, and states as fact only what at least two outlets report. How we use AI · Report a problem