I wish to thank the Monitor editors for publishing my piece on my recent trip to Palestine and olive harvesting last Sunday. Some edits were necessary, of course, and I appreciate those that were made. Two, however, need an important clarification. One is in the line “harvest olives in Israel’s West Bank.” This is incorrect. The West Bank is not part of Israel. Israel threatens to annex it from time to time, but it is still a Palestinian territory. Even the settlements are not, according to international law, part of Israel, which is why the EU has insisted that products made in those settlements not be labeled as though they are coming from Israel.
Likewise, in the third paragraph, Israel is once again referenced regarding my schedule, however, I was in Beit Sahour, which is in the West Bank, not Israel. Although seemingly minor points, they are in fact critical ones.
Other than that, I am grateful for the opportunity to post what I learned during the tour and hope it helps to illuminate some of the conditions Palestinians must live under.
SUE McKEVITT
Bradford