US congressional candidate Brad Lander detained in West Bank

Become an Independent member to bookmark this article Want to bookmark your favourite articles and stories to read or reference later? Start your Independent Membership today. Join today Already a member? Log in US congressional candidate Brad Lander detained in West Bank Brittney Donovan Wednesday 21 October 2026 14:44 BST Bookmark popover Removed from bookmarks Close popover It was not immediately clear why the area had been declared a closed military zone ( Getty Images ) Brad Lander, a U.S. Democratic congressional candidate and former New York City comptroller, was among roughly 80 human rights volunteers detained by Israeli forces Wednesday while picking olives alongside Palestinian farmers near Bethlehem. The volunteers, including American, Israeli, British, and Canadian citizens, were participating in a peaceful solidarity effort organized by Rabbis for Human Rights to shield local farmers from settler intimidation. Israeli military and police forces took the group into custody after claiming the West Bank farmland near Nehalim was a closed military zone, despite organizers stating they received no prior notice and offered to leave peacefully. While Lander was later released, dozens of other volunteers were transported on buses to a police station in an Israeli settlement, where they were held without immediate formal charges or clear justification. The detentions come during a period of surging Israeli settler violence targeting Palestinians, foreign diplomats and journalists during the crucial West Bank olive harvest, which accounts for approximately 8 percent of the Palestinian GDP. In full US congressional candidate detained by Israeli authorities in West Bank