“When the new olive trees had grown, our land became a heaven. Then we were ordered to uproot them all. To us it feels like they want to erase everything that symbolises the Palestinian identity in order to forcibly displace us and drive us away from our land.”

Khitam, a woman farmer from Deir Ballout. Zaytoun customers sponsored the planting of 2,000 young olive saplings in Khitam’s village in the West Bank in 2021 after thousands of trees were uprooted by occupation forces. Those trees had begun to flourish, but now the community faces destruction once again.

As members of the Fair Trade movement, we are united in our belief that every person has the right to live and work in safety and determine their own future. Today, we raise our voices in solidarity with the people of Gaza and the West Bank whose futures are being deliberately dismantled. 

The Fair Trade movement exists to support people across the world to build secure and  sustainable futures. We deplore the violence of October 7th and its aftermath, which have deepened an already dire situation. In Gaza and the West Bank, the rights of people to work, trade and live free from fear and safety are being stripped away.

For decades, people in Gaza have endured blockade and suffering. In recent months, this has intensified to the point where communities have been denied the essentials of life: clean water, food, shelter, medical care, at a scale that defies comprehension. Farmers in the West Bank, who are part of the fair trade community, are facing escalating violence and displacement, leaving many fearful that their livelihoods could be next.

What is happening in Gaza goes beyond a humanitarian crisis. On 16^th September 2025, the UN concluded that Israel has committed genocide in the Gaza strip. [1]The use of starvation as a weapon of war, and the destruction of civilian, farming and trade infrastructure, violates the principles of international law and the values we hold as a movement to protect and uphold human rights and enable people to earn a fair income or wage, within safe working conditions.

We have worked together with Zaytoun, a pioneering UK fair trade brand, and Palestinian farmers for over 20 years, building economic resilience and hope in one of the most difficult and challenging environments. Today that hope is thwarted.

In Gaza we call for:

• An immediate and permanent ceasefire to stop the killing of civilians, and the immediate release of all hostages.

• The full lifting of the siege and unrestricted humanitarian access for food, water, medicine, fuel, and other essentials.

• An end to the use of starvation as a weapon of war. [2]

• An end to the expansion of military operations, particularly in densely populated areas, and immediate steps to protect civilian life and infrastructure.

In the West Bank we call for:

• A halt to settlement expansion and land confiscation, which continue to strip farmers of their livelihoods and erase centuries of agricultural heritage.

• An immediate end to settler and army violence, forced displacement, and home demolitions, which threaten farmers’ lives and livelihoods.

• Protection for farmland, seed banks, irrigation systems, and agricultural infrastructure.

• The lifting of movement restrictions, checkpoints, and closures that prevent farmers from accessing their land, markets, and transport routes — with exports too often delayed or blocked, damaging their businesses and livelihoods.

• Accountability for violations against farming communities, including investigations, restitution, and effective protective measures.

The Fair Trade movement stands for fairness, solidarity, and the empowerment of people to decide on their own futures. We cannot remain silent while the foundations of life are being destroyed.

Signed by:

Fairtrade Foundation

Zaytoun

Brewgooder

Lemonaid Beverages Ltd

Revolver Co-operative Ltd

Wish4 Fair Trade

Premcrest

Turtle Bags

Jeniphers Coffi

Cafedirect

Y.O.U underwear

Scottish Fair Trade 

True Origin 

Transform Trade 

Liberation

Fairtrade London

Equal Exchange and Tropical Wholefoods 

The Co-op 

BAFTS

Hadeel UK

Palcraft

[1]See:  Israel has committed genocide in the Gaza Strip, UN Commission finds | OHCHR

[2] See Gaza’s Population Systematically Being Starved to Death, Speakers Warn Security Council, Demanding Immediate Ceasefire, End to Deliberate Famine | Meetings Coverage and Press Releases