Volunteers from Bristol have spoken of their concerns after deadly attacks in the West Bank, years after they got caught up in violence there themselves. But one of them, who lives in North Bristol, says she still hopes to return this year despite the escalation of tensions.
Helen, who did not wish to use her surname, volunteered during the olive harvest season five consecutive years in a row from 2015-2019. She was part of a group in 2015 that was attacked, but escaped that time without injury. She said another British volunteer who was in her group had to be treated in hospital after several rocks were thrown at his head, as reported at the time.
In the past few weeks there have been settler attacks on villages following on from a week of violence, which began on February 22 when the Israeli military was reported to have killed 11 Palestinians and injured more than 100 in the city of Nablus. The raid was understood to be the deadliest since 2005.
