Settlers beat Washington Post journalist during attack on Palestinian olive harvest

On Friday, Israeli settlers attacked a Washington Post journalist and other individuals while accompanying Palestinian villagers in the West Bank. The attack occurred in an olive grove where Palestinians were harvesting olives. The Post reported that "dozens of masked settlers" set fire to shrubs and threw rocks during a coordinated assault on the villagers.

Freelance photographer Heidi Levine, wearing a vest marked "Press," was among those injured. She was knocked to the ground, kicked repeatedly, and had her cameras and phone stolen. Levine was taken to a hospital in Ramallah, where she sustained multiple injuries, including a wound on her leg and a gash on her knee. Witnesses described seeing about 80 settlers, some with gas canisters, descending on the olive grove.

The Israeli military was present but did not intervene. Rights groups and witnesses have documented instances where settlers have received protection from the Israeli army. Live gunfire was heard in the area, and at least one settler was seen firing a gun. The olive harvest season began on Thursday, but Palestinian farmers have been visiting their groves for weeks, fearing theft by settlers who promote the idea through social media.

Violence in the West Bank has increased since October 7, 2023, and September was the most violent month to date. The Armed Conflict Location and Event Data Project recorded an average of 39 incidents per day from October 1 to October 9, compared to around 20 per day in September.