For every £100 a cross stitch is added to our olive tree. Watch it come into colour and fruition as the donations grow. See the Thanks page.
The Olive Tree
In Palestine, the olive tree is prized for its historical presence, its beauty, and its symbolic meaning, but most importantly for its economic significance. Olive trees have provided a major commercial crop for Palestine, and many families depended on them for their livelihood. Products extracted from the olive tree include, olives, olive oil, olive wood, and olive based soap. In fact, olive oil is a major export item from Palestine and olive production contributes greatly to family incomes.
Traditionally in Palestine, harvesting the olives was a joyous time. However, over recent years restrictions by the Israeli army and harassment by illegal settlers have made harvesting difficult and sometimes impossible. The olive tree, a universal symbol of peace and the national tree of Palestine, has become the unfortunate casualty of war.
Adapted from a text by: Atyaf Alwazir, Up-rooting Olive Trees