Brad Lander detained by Israeli forces in West Bank

‘Harvesting olives isn’t a crime under any law I know’

RTÉ reported that Israeli military and police held Lander and roughly 80 other volunteers on Wednesday, 21 October.

Rabbis for Human Rights had organised the group to accompany Palestinian farmers harvesting olives in the occupied West Bank.

According to the rights group, soldiers told them they had entered a closed military zone, then moved them to a police station in an Israeli settlement.

Lander was shortly after released by officers, however they kept holding the rest of the group.

Foreign nationals were among them facing transfer to a military base.

Who is Brad Lander?

A Jewish American, Lander has served as New York City comptroller and ran for mayor in 2025.

A comptroller is a senior-level executive or public official who supervises accounting, financial reporting, budgeting, and internal financial controls.

Lander backs Mayor Zohran Mamdani and is a fierce critic of Israel's conduct in the Gaza war.

"We were simply harvesting olives in a grove near Nehalim in the West Bank. The occupation is a crime under international law. Harvesting olives isn't a crime under any law I know," Lander wrote on X (formerly Twitter), as he described his arrest.

Irish voices on Israel and Palestine

Rabbis for Human Rights said the group had been accompanying Palestinian farmers who face the threat of settler violence during the harvest.

Brad Lander detention FAQ

Was Brad Lander released?

Yes. Rabbis for Human Rights confirmed Lander's release, though officers kept holding the rest of the roughly 80 volunteers detained alongside him.

What is Brad Lander running for?

Lander is running as the Democratic candidate for New York's 10th congressional district in the US House of Representatives, part of the 3 November 2026 midterm elections.