Palestine's oldest olive tree symbol of cultural heritage
Palestine's oldest olive tree symbolizes both the country's resilience and its culture.
RAMALLAH, West Bank — Stories about al-Badawi olive tree, the oldest olive tree in Palestine, emerge with every olive season, as people debate its age and how long it can live.
The tree is located in the village of al-Walaja, 5 kilometers (3 miles) west of Bethlehem, and extends over roughly 250 square meters (2.7 square feet), is 12 meters (39 feet) high and has a trunk that measures 25 meters (82 feet) in diameter.
Despite the lack of accurate scientific information about its age, both the owner and guardian of the tree and the Palestinian Ministry of Agriculture estimate that it is 4,000-5,000 years old. News articles and academic papers often describe it as the oldest olive tree in Palestine and one of the oldest in the world.
In 2009, the Ministry of Agriculture appointed Salah Abu Ali, who is the owner of the land where the tree is located, as the guardian of the tree. Abu Ali calls it the “Mother of all Olive Trees” and compares it to “a queen surrounded by soldiers,” because it is surrounded by smaller olive trees.
