Oiled Media Bias at the BBC

Consider this opening line:

The first time I realised how delicious olive oil from the West Bank can be was more than ten years ago when a Palestinian farmer offered me breakfast as I stood watching a broad strip of his land being destroyed.

That was the BBC's Jeremy Bowen.

Jeremy, dear chap, only ten years you've know good olive oil?

And if we're talking time-wise, that territory has been the "West Bank" only since April 1950.  Before that, for 2500 years, it was Judea and Samaria.  Judea like in where Jesus was born.  Judea like in Jews.

And the best olive oil is from Meshek Achiyah at Shiloh.

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What Are Those Jews Doing To Those Olive Trees?

What are they doing?

They are harvesting them, after planting them and nuturing them. In Rechalim and Shiloh.

See the orchard of Erez Ben-Sa'adon and of Meshek Achiyah:



Some 12% of all Israel's home-use olive oil production (in the film 10% is mentioned but I double-checked with Yair Hirsch) is produced at Meshek Achiyah. 400 tons say Itamar Weiss. That's 600,000 bottles.

All-in-all, farmers in Judea and Samaria (Yesha) tend 8000 dunams of agricultural land. Scores of boutique wineries as well as olive tree growth.

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You're Invited to a Redeeming Ceremony

Another "redeeming of a vineyard" ceremony is taking place as announced:-



Based on these verses in Leviticus 19:

23 And when ye shall come into the land, and shall have planted all manner of trees for food, then ye shall count the fruit thereof as forbidden; three years shall it be as forbidden unto you; it shall not be eaten. 24 And in the fourth year all the fruit thereof shall be holy, for giving praise unto the LORD. 25 But in the fifth year may ye eat of the fruit thereof, that it may yield unto you more richly the increase thereof: I am the LORD your God.

a ceremony in which the vineyard has its sanctity transferred in the fourth year so the crops can be used is performed.

And as the poster informs us, this Wednesday at 4 PM, you're invited to the vineyards of Shiloh to participate in the ceremony sponsored by Meshek Achiyah which produces olive oil and as well owns vineyards.


See also in Hebrew.


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Like Festivals?

You're inivited:-

Olive Harvest 2007: You Are Needed More Than Ever!

Join Us in Palestine for the 2007 Olive Harvest Campaign!

Palestinian farmers and agricultural organizations, in coordination with the International Solidarity Movement, the International Women's Peace Service, and the Christian Peacemaker Team announce the 2007 Olive Harvest Campaign. The campaign will begin on October 16th, after the end of Ramadan, and will continue for six to eight weeks, depending on the size of the harvest. [Jews will be harvesting too. like our own "Meshek Achiyah" at Shiloh]



The Olive Harvest is an annual affirmation of Palestinians' historical, spiritual and economic connection to their land, and a rejection of Israeli efforts to seize it. Palestinians are the indigenous people of this land who have farmed olives here for thousands of years. [since maybe 638 CE at the most. that's 1369 years at the very most. and don't forget, there were Jews here first with their olive trees]

International and Israeli volunteers join Palestinians each year to harvest olives, in spite of efforts by Israeli settlers, soldiers and bulldozers to destroy this vital piece of Palestinian life. The Olive Harvest Campaign provides a wonderful opportunity to spend time with Palestinian families in their olive groves and homes. After a two-day training session, volunteers for the Olive Harvest Campaign will stay in Palestinian homes or international apartments in West Bank communities and accompany Palestinian families to their olive groves to serve as witnesses to document and expose attacks by settlers -- supported by the Israeli Army -- on farmers and their families.

In addition to olive harvest, volunteers will have the opportunity to join Palestinians in nonviolent protests throughout the West Bank against the construction of the annexation barrier, settlements and settlement roads.

For more information on preparation, travel and arrival in Palestine, please see the ISM Palestine website, www.palsolidarity.org/main/join/.
ISM support groups located around the world can help answer your questions about the movement and Olive Harvest Campaign. Many will provide training sessions. For information on how to contact local ISM support groups worldwide, please also see the ISM website.

But if you want a real good festival, try Shiloh on the 15th of Av.