Ralph Fenn: Eyewitness Account from the West Bank, Palestine

n November 2026, Ralph Fenn traveled to the occupied West Bank of Palestine to participate in the annual olive harvest as a volunteer with the Protect the Harvest coalition. During this 45-minute presentation, he will share photographs and firsthand stories from his time working alongside Palestinian farming families during one of the year's most important agricultural seasons.

Protect the Harvest places international volunteers with Palestinian farmers who request assistance, helping provide a protective presence during the harvest. Many farmers face harassment from Israeli settlers, including damage to olive groves, equipment, and other property, threatening a crop that is central to Palestinian livelihoods and cultural identity. Ralph will discuss how volunteers help support farmers during the harvest and what he witnessed in rural Palestinian communities living alongside nearby settlements and outposts.

Ralph Fenn has been a member of UUSF for 18 years and is active in the UUSF Human Rights
Working Group, which advocates for the rights of marginalized people locally, nationally, and
internationally.