November 2, 2026, Occupied Palestine. Italian solidarity activist Donato Ferdori, 56, remains imprisoned at Givon prison after refusing deportation, following his arrest in al-Lubban al-gharbi on October 29.
On November 1, Ferdori was denied access to legal counsel before and during a hearing to review the lawfulness of his continued detention. Israeli occupation authorities failed to notify his lawyer or his family that the hearing was taking place. Ferdori’s attorney, Alon Sapir, had repeatedly contacted the detention facility to inquire about his client’s condition and request updates, yet was never informed of the hearing. As a result, Ferdori was deprived of the opportunity to consult his lawyer beforehand or be represented during the proceedings, which Sapir described as “a serious breach of his right to an attorney.”
Neither his lawyer nor his family has been informed of the hearing’s outcome. The lack of legal representation and information about the proceedings raises serious concerns about Ferdori’s procedural rights and his ability to effectively challenge his continued detention and impending deportation.
Chiara Ferdori, Donato’s sister, expressed serious concerns about his detention and the lack of legal protection: “The last time I spoke to Donato was immediately after his arrest, while he was still at the first detention facility. He was not in good physical condition, as he was suffering from a severe migraine. That was the only phone call he was allowed to make, and it was extremely brief. I know he has since been transferred to Givon prison. The Italian Embassy in Tel Aviv told me that they cannot guarantee legal protection. We are very worried. Donato is a thoughtful, educated and sensitive person who believes in the values of human dignity and peace, and who dedicates himself to upholding these values every day.”
During the detention, the 14 activists were held for many hours without access to food, water or bathrooms. Israeli officials and workers taunted them saying: “You are getting fucked up tonight”, “we are going to fuck you up”, “you all smell like shit”. Some detainees were prevented from accessing their medication. The activists were forced to sleep on cold ground with no pads in a semi-enclosed building exposed to the elements. Some detainees did not have sufficient clothing for the temperature and were very cold and shivering. This expose a fraction of what Palestinian men, women and children endure in occupation prisons, which are effectively concentration camps.
Ferdori was among 14 international solidarity activists detained by Israeli occupation forces on October 29 in al-Lubban al-Gharbi, northwest of Ramallah, while accompanying Palestinian farmers during the olive harvest. The activists, from Italy, the United States, the United Kingdom, Australia, Germany, Ireland and Sweden, were arrested after Israeli settlers from the Avichai Farm outpost forced Palestinian farmers and their international supporters to abandon their olive harvest.
The settlers followed the group into the residential area of the village, where occupation forces subsequently arrived and surrounded a house in which the activists had gathered. All 14 were detained on allegations of violating a closed military zone order, although no such order had been presented to them while they were on the agricultural land. Israeli occupation soldiers also severely beat and detained the mayor of Al-Lubban al-Gharbi. Soldiers damaged property at his carpentry workshop and threatened him, warning him not to return to the agricultural land or bring international activists to the village again.
During their detention, the activists identified as men were handcuffed and shackled at the ankles, with some chained together in pairs. They were forced to strip to their underwear and subjected to searches, had their shoelaces confiscated and were held in a high-security cell. They were subsequently transported to Yahalom Detention Center in chains. Following visa revocation proceedings, 13 of the activists were placed on deportation flights, while Ferdori refused deportation and has remained in Israeli custody.
The arrests took place amid escalating violence against Palestinian farming communities in the West Bank, where international volunteers accompany farmers during the olive harvest at the request of local communities. The detention and deportation of international volunteers further undermine the solidarity presence requested by Palestinian communities facing continuous attacks and ethnic cleansing. Ferdori’s continued imprisonment, and the denial of access to legal counsel during proceedings determining the lawfulness of his detention, raise additional concerns about the treatment of international activists engaged in nonviolent solidarity work.
Previous releases:
https://palsolidarity.org/2026/10/for-immediate-release-14-international-solidarity-activists-face-deportation-for-accompanying-palestinian-olive-harvester-in-al-lubban-al-gharbi/
https://palsolidarity.org/2026/10/update-for-immediate-release-italian-teacher-detained-at-givon-prison-after-refusing-deportation-following-mass-arrest-during-palestinian-olive-harvest/