Arrest of 6 Palestinian Workers While Picking Olives in Marj Ibn Amer

Tel Aviv - Afaq News - Israeli border guard forces arrested six Palestinian workers today, Saturday, on the grounds of residing in Israel without permits, while they were working in olive picking in orchards near the settlement of "Merhavia" in the Marj Ibn Amer area.

According to the "Wynet" website, volunteers from the border guard stopped the six while they were in the olive orchards near the town of Merhavia, where they were working during the olive picking season.

The website indicated that Israeli estimates suggest that another number of Palestinians managed to flee the area before the completion of the arrests, while the detained individuals and the Israeli employer were transferred for investigation.

The report added that emergency response teams from both the kibbutz and the settlement of "Merhavia" were summoned to the scene and provided assistance to security forces in search and combing operations for the individuals who fled the site.

The arrest operation comes amid tightened Israeli measures regarding the entry of Palestinian workers into Israel and their work without permits, coinciding with the olive picking season, which sees an increasing demand for labor in agricultural areas.

The source indicated that the investigations will focus on the circumstances of the Palestinians' entry into the area, the nature of their employment, in addition to the responsibility of the Israeli employer who has also been transferred for questioning.