Brad Lander, the Democratic nominee for a New York City congressional seat, stated Wednesday that he was briefly detained by the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) while participating in an olive harvest with volunteers in the West Bank. Lander, a former New York City comptroller and council member, was part of an initiative organized by Protect the Harvest, a non-profit that assists Palestinian farmers in the West Bank.
Lander, who is Jewish and has expressed support for Palestinians, said he joined rabbis and other volunteers for the harvest. He told reporters that the group had harvested olives on Monday and Tuesday without incident. However, on Wednesday, armed military members and police stopped the group, placing them on buses. Lander documented the incident on social media, stating, "I've been detained by the IDF, along with a group of rabbis & volunteers. We were simply harvesting olives in a grove near Nehalim in the West Bank." He added, "The occupation is a crime under international law. Harvesting olives isn't a crime under any law I know."
Lander later posted an update stating he had been released from custody with a "warning," which he attributed to his public profile. He mentioned that several dozen other participants remained detained when he was released. The IDF confirmed in a statement that most of the detained volunteers had been released. The military also stated that the arrival of dozens of activists was viewed as an act intended to provoke and that it undermined the harvesting process. The IDF spokesman said, "Regarding reports of the detention of a congressional candidate, we note that he was released once the matter was brought to our attention."
Representatives for Rabbis for Human Rights disputed the IDF's account, asserting that the group was harvesting peacefully and had not been informed of any prior restrictions. Anton Goodman, the acting executive director of Rabbis for Human Rights, stated, "Instead of protecting people working their own land, the army is removing them from it, and detaining those who came to stand beside them."
Israel's Foreign Ministry criticized Lander's participation, calling it a "stunt" and alleging that his team had been informed of the need for proper coordination with authorities, which Lander ignored. Lander refuted these claims during a press conference, stating the foreign ministry's statement contained "multiple lies." He asserted that he had informed the U.S. embassy of his trip and received no instructions requiring coordination with Israeli authorities for the harvest.
Lander secured the Democratic primary nomination in June and is set to face Republican nominee Jennifer Moore in the general election. New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani expressed gratitude for Lander's release but urged the immediate release of other New Yorkers who remained detained. A State Department spokesperson acknowledged awareness of reports of Americans detained in the West Bank and stated that the department was tracking the situation and committed to assisting Americans abroad.