https://grain.org/e/7340

Civil society call for the urgent release of La Via Campesina’s members in Palestine

by Several groups | 11 Dic 2025


We firmly condemn the raid conducted by the Israeli occupation forces on 1st December 2025 in the offices of La Via Campesina’s (LVC) member organisation in Ramallah and Hebron. The forces detained LVC members of the organisation inside the office premises, subjecting them to harsh and humiliating treatment, while conducting violent searches throughout the building . Eight male agricultural workers who were on the premises were arrested. Two of them are still being detained. The attack was carried out in areas that are officially designated as being controlled by the Palestinian Authority, thereby highlighting the ongoing violations of international law and humanitarian protections by the genocidal state of Israel.

The raid caused destruction and confiscation of all office materials, including computers, hard drives, administrative files, financial documents, and logistical equipment. The Forces deliberately destroyed office furniture, smashed doors, and damaged equipment as part of a systematic attempt to cripple its organisational viability and crush its relation with the Palestinian farming communities. The raid targeted specifically infrastructures of the Palestinian seeds bank in Hebron, destroying seed stocks that represent their plant genetic heritage.

La Via Campesina’s member organisation operates in full accordance with international law and its primary role is to support farmers in Palestine. This attack comes amid a broader escalation across the West Bank, where Israeli forces have intensified actions against Palestinian civil society organisations and agricultural institutions. Farmers, who take care of their land,territory and seeds, have been systematically targeted in recent months by settlers and Israeli occupation forces. These attacks against a peasant organisation are aimed to destroy their food sovereignty and contribute to the genocidal enterprise against the Palestinian people. This attack is also a serious violation of Palestinian farmers' right to organise.

We reiterate the demands put forth by the LVC, and to urge governments to:

  1. Call for the immediate and unconditional release of all detained members of La Via Campesina in Palestine and allied agricultural workers.
  2. Seek assurances that they will not be subject to ill-treatment, coercion, or further intimidation
  3. Request an independent investigation into the raid on their offices and the confiscation or destruction of materials
  4. Ensure the resumption of the activities of La Via Campesina member in Palestine, without legal obstacles or material impediments.
  5. Communicate clearly, through diplomatic channels, that repression of lawful civil society organisations is unacceptable.
We stand in solidarity with Palestinian farmers!

Endorsements:
  1. Acogida Palestina Campesina
  2. Afiando vento
  3. Alburquerque con Palestina
  4. Asociación Cultural e Medioambiental Tarabelada
  5. Asociación de hombres por la igualdad y contra la violencia machista
  6. Asociación de mujeres feministas rurales
  7. Asociación por la Paz y los Derechos Humanos Taula per Mèxic
  8. Assemblea pagesa i ciutadana metropolitana
  9. ATTAC España
  10. Banyoles Solidària
  11. BDS Madrid
  12. Bienvenid@s Refugiad@s de La Rioja
  13. Bombers indignats
  14. Campanya Aturemlesguerres.cat
  15. Chelva x Palestina
  16. COAG- Coordinadora de Organizaciones de Agricultores y Ganaderos
  17. Coalició Prou Complicitat amb Israel
  18. Colectivo Cala
  19. Colectivo de Solidaridad por la Justicia y Dignidad de los Pueblos, Coliche
  20. Comarca de Zafra con Palestina
  21. Comité Solidaridad Oscar Romero de Barcelona
  22. Conexión de Recursos para la Acción Comunitaria
  23. CooperAcció
  24. Coordinadora en Apoyo al Pueblo palestino del Camp de Morvedre
  25. Ecogomera
  26. Ecollaures
  27. Ecologistas en Acción
  28. Ecologistes en Acció de Catalunya
  29. Ecomediterrània
  30. EHNE Bizkaia
  31. El Hierro por Palestina
  32. Entrepueblos-Entrepobles-Entrepobos-Herriarte
  33. ETXALDE Nekazaritza Iraunkorra
  34. Ezkerra Berdeak
  35. Garraf per la República
  36. Global Energy Embargo for Palestine
  37. GRAIN
  38. Greenpeace España
  39. Iaioflautas
  40. La Algarroba Negra
  41. La Ruda amics de Can Deu per a l'agricultura ecològica
  42. La Troje
  43. Lafede - Justícia global
  44. Les Refardes
  45. Movimiento Democrático de Mujeres
  46. Mujeres Brasileñas Contra el Fascismo y el Racismo
  47. Mujeres Montaña por Palestina
  48. Mundubat
  49. NOVACT
  50. Observatori del Deute en la Globalització (ODG)
  51. Observatori DESCA
  52. Pallars×Palestina
  53. Plataforma La Gomera Por Palestina
  54. Plataforma pels Drets Humans i contra el genocidi a Palestina de Castelldefels
  55. Plataforma por la Paz de contra las guerras, OTAN NO de Cataluña
  56. Plataforma Solidaria con Palestina de Valladolid
  57. Revista Soberanía Alimentaria, Biodiversidad y Culturas
  58. Sindicato Labrego Galego – Comisóns Labregas (SLG-CCLL)
  59. SUDS
  60. Taula de l'aigua Terrassa
  61. Taula del Llobregat
  62. Unio de Pagesos de Catalunya
  63. Vall de Can Masdeu

Photo: Union of Agricultural Work Committees (UAWC) - Palestine
Author: Several groups