US Congressional Candidate Brad Lander Detained by IDF During West Bank Olive Harvest

Brad Lander, the Democratic nominee for New York's 10th Congressional District, was detained by Israeli Defense Forces on October 21 while participating in an olive harvest in the West Bank. Lander, the former New York City Comptroller, posted on X that he and a group of rabbis and volunteers were detained while harvesting olives near Nahalin, outside Bethlehem. He stated that he was later released, but approximately 80 to 90 other volunteers remained in custody.

The olive harvest was organized by Protect the Harvest, an American human rights group that conducts annual operations in the West Bank to support Palestinian farmers. According to Rabbis for Human Rights, an Israeli human rights organization, Israeli authorities designated the area as a military zone closed for a full day. The group's leaders offered to leave voluntarily, but officials conducted identification checks before detaining participants and transporting them to a police station. Acting executive director Anton Goodman stated that the group had come to accompany farmers who had not been able to access the land for three years.

Lander has been a vocal critic of Israeli government policy and Gaza operations. During his successful June primary challenge against incumbent Rep. Dan Goldman, Israel became a central campaign issue. Lander has opposed unconditional military aid to Israel and stated in June that "Israel's conduct in Gaza meets the definition of genocide," while also contending that "Israel can't be a genuine democracy while it's occupying the West Bank & Gaza." He has described himself as a "liberal Zionist" who supports the Israeli state but opposes current government policy.

Lander's detention occurred against a backdrop of reported tensions in the West Bank. On October 16, Israeli settlers attacked Washington Post photojournalist Heidi Levine while she was covering an olive harvest, resulting in injuries including a broken rib and four fractured vertebrae. On October 17, Israeli settlers attacked a group of European diplomats near the village of Taibe. Israeli police announced arrests of 10 Israelis in connection with these attacks. The Israeli Prime Minister's office disputed reports of settler violence, suggesting they may be part of a "coordinated campaign to delegitimize Israel and Jewish residents of the West Bank." The IDF condemned the attack on diplomats and promised an investigation.

Lander's detention follows a similar incident in July, when U.S. Representative Ro Khanna reported being detained by Israeli authorities for over an hour during a visit to the Palestinian village of Khirbet Zanuta. Polymarket, a prediction market platform, assessed Lander's probability of election on November 3 at 98 percent, facing Republican opponent Jennifer Moor, who ran unopposed in her party's primary.