RAMALLAH: Israeli forces on Wednesday briefly detained a US congressional candidate as he joined activists supporting Palestinians harvesting olives in the face of threats by extremist settlers.
Brad Lander, a left-wing Democrat who is expected to easily win a House seat in New York City on Nov 3, posted on social media that he was detained along with a group of rabbis and volunteers as they harvested olives west of Bethlehem in the occupied 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.
He later wrote that he was released on account of his prominence, adding that "Palestinians face far worse consequences every day."
