The Middle East seems to offer little hope of delivering good news, especially now, as bombs rain down once more, claiming the lives of innocent civilians and displacing hundreds of thousands from their homeland.

This time, the forced movement is of Lebanese men, women and children who are suffering the consequences of conflict between their government and that of Israel.

But the current killing and dislocation is one chapter in a complex story of invading, redrawing borders, dispersing communities and destroying lives and livelihoods. Since the creation of the state of Israel in 1948, the story has focused on the struggle between this new religious-political entity and the original Palestinian inhabitants.
   
Palestinians in the West Bank, including east Jerusalem, have lived under Israeli occupation since 1967. The settlements built by Israel in the West Bank are home to about 400,000 Palestinians and are illegal under international law although Israel disputes this.

Palestine’s struggle to maintain independence and dignity in the wake of its splintering has been relentless, with those living from the land most vulnerable. Land reclamation, clearance for new settlements, crop destruction and even attacks on farmers have rendered agriculture a fragile source of income.

Israel’s dictates (restricting movement, shifting more Palestinians into the West Bank, attacks on villages) have seen Palestine’s agricultural productivity drop by 70% since 2000, and yet agriculture remains of critical importance, both economically and socially. 

And here lies the hope – in the farming of the olive. It may seem ironic that, given its circumstances, 25% of Palestine’s agricultural income comes from this universal symbol of peace, which is associated with spiritual workings and bringing happiness, purity, and harmony. Perhaps, though, it is entirely fitting. The Palestinian people have every reason to hope for peace and the cultivation of the olive seems an appropriate activity in such a fragile political climate. Olives are known to promote good health and have wide medicinal applications. For Palestinians, olives are a dietary staple and olive trees have long been growing on land now largely occupied by Israel. But about 12 million olive trees grow in the West Bank and Gaza, continuing an ancient historical link between the Palestinian people and their crop.

The politicisation of the olive may seem absurd, but so highly valued is it that the very act of harvesting is regarded as a statement of land rights – this has led to the targeting of groves and pickers by Israeli ‘settlers’, even resulting in the arrest or assassination of pickers. The bulldozing of cultivated land robbed Palestinians of nearly 500,000 olive trees between 2000 and 2001, according to the UN Conference on Trade and Development, demonstrating how this symbol of peace has assumed a weightier mantle.

Yet the Middle East can and does deliver some good news through the ongoing farming of this potent fruit. It does this through PARC (Palestinian Agriculture Relief Committees). It is through PARC that Trade Aid sources its extra virgin olive oil, ensuring that the benefits associated with the olive not only transfer to you, the customer, but also back to the producers. Reacting against the deteriorating agricultural scene, in particular in Israeli occupied areas of the West Bank, a group of Palestinian agronomists founded PARC in 1983. One of the largest NGOs in Palestine, it works for the economic and social development of rural communities in Palestine. Its mission is clear: to fight poverty.

International funds are used to support individuals and communities with little other chance of surviving. PARC’s goals are clear: empowering Palestinian women; initiating projects in Gaza and the West Bank; food security; urban agricultural projects in refugee camps; introducing organic farming; assisting with savings and credit schemes; ensuring clean water supply; job creation; and the development of rural roads and public housing.

The autonomy of producers is paramount, so PARC promotes the organisation of co-operatives which represent over 1,000 producers from 400 local communities. Local training and support for family farms, smallholdings and women’s co-operatives is vital to overcome the problems of restricted movement imposed by Israel. Young farmers are developed through agricultural education, technical aid and work experience, thus offering a future to the next generation of Palestinians. Land reclamation and campaigns for environmental protection have succeeded in creating thousands of jobs. Sustainability, equity, and ongoing development are key to PARC’s approach and the export of 280 tons of products through fair trade networks in 2004 speaks volumes for its success.

In short, PARC has been a life line, offering livelihoods and dignity to a splintered people.

Olive oil is at the heart of this. PARC has replanted bulldozed areas, giving farmers the opportunity to grow, harvest and sell crops in relative peace and at a fair price. Producers not only receive economic advantages but, perhaps more significantly, social and cultural reinforcement. The reinstating of farmers’ confidence in collective work and the values of volunteerism, combined with the decentralised management philosophy of PARC, are critical factors in fostering a sense of identity and cohesion – so hard to achieve when communities and families have been separated. The purchasing of Trade Aid’s Palestinian Extra Virgin Olive Oil makes sense on so many levels.  Extra virgin is the best, and least processed, oil from the first pressing of the olives. Health wise, it protects against heart disease, controlling LDL ("bad") cholesterol levels while raising HDL ("good") levels. It is kind to the stomach and can help with ulcers and gastritis, and is full of antioxidants. Research shows that olive oil may help protect against colon cancer. As part of the Mediterranean diet, it is widely held in esteem when compared with other fats in the Western diet. You are doing yourself good when you buy PARC’s olive oil but, of course, you are also helping to fulfil the olive’s potential as a symbol of peace and happiness. For the thousands of men, women and children who are directly or indirectly affected by PARC’s outreach, your choice is pivotal. For you, it’s a choice between one oil and another, but for the Palestinian people it is a choice between poverty and desolation or pride, unity, and a livelihood.

Whilst stories of bombings, civilian casualties and families torn apart by fighting continue to dominate the headlines, why not contribute to a different kind of page-turner? It’s about time for some good news to come from the Middle East, and the great thing is that you can play a part.

That’s the best news of all.

article by Pennie Stringer August 2006