Planting olive trees in Palestine: MEMO in Conversation with Cyrus Copeland

Middle East Monitor Conversations

Israeli occupation authorities have uprooted more than 800,000 Palestinians olive trees since 1967, Treedom for Palestine is working to replant them and protect Palestinian farmers' deep ties to their land.

This week on MEMO in Conversation we have a truly inspiring story that beautifully illustrates the power of art, activism and agriculture in creating tangible change. Our guest, Cyrus Copeland, Executive Director of Treedom for Palestine, shares the remarkable journey of an initiative that has recently made headlines following the release of a powerful documentary 'Where Olive Trees Weep' and its mission to plant olive trees in the occupied West Bank.

Cyrus takes us through the genesis of Treedom for Palestine, from his personal connection to tree planting to witnessing the deep relationship between Palestinians and their olive trees. He discusses the collaboration with the Palestinian Farmers' Union and the impact of planting 1,000 olive trees on the lives of Palestinian farmers. The conversation touches on the challenges faced, including the need for steel fencing to protect the Freedom Farms from settler violence and the staggering statistic that since 1967, Israeli occupation authorities have uprooted more than 800,000 Palestinian olive trees.
As we explore the international reception of the documentary and its influence on the project's growth, Cyrus shares insights into the future of Treedom for Palestine. He discusses how growing awareness of settler violence has affected support for the project and outlines the long-term goals for this initiative.
Cyrus is a writer, nonprofit pioneer and speaker who was born in Washington DC. At the age of 10 his family moved to Iran, just before the 1979 revolution. His experiences, including his father's imprisonment during the Islamic Revolution, have deeply influenced his work. A critically acclaimed author, Cyrus's writing has appeared in the New York Times, the Los Angeles Times, Slate and the Boston Globe.