Settlers beat Washington Post journalist during attack on Palestinian olive harvest

Israeli settlers battered a Washington Post photojournalist during an assault on Palestinian olive harvesters in the West Bank on Friday. Dozens of masked settlers coordinated an attack on the villagers, setting fires and hurling rocks at them. Freelance journalist Heidi Levine, who wore a clearly marked "Press" vest, was knocked to the ground and brutally assaulted by the assailants.

She was hospitalized with multiple injuries, including a wound to her leg and a gash on her knee, after being stripped of her cameras and phone. Witnesses reported seeing around 80 settlers, some carrying gas canisters, descend upon the olive grove where Palestinians had gathered to harvest the fruit. Moutaz Abdelhadi, a local farmer, told Reuters that the settlers were attempting to drive the Palestinians from their homes.

Despite the presence of the Israeli military, the attack persisted, with live gunfire heard and at least one settler reportedly firing a weapon. Rights groups and witnesses have documented numerous instances where settlers have received protection from the Israeli military, even as they commit violent acts against Palestinians. The olive harvest season officially kicked off on Thursday, but Palestinian farmers had already been actively working in their groves for weeks, concerned about theft by Israeli settlers who have been promoting social media campaigns encouraging theft.

Violence in the West Bank has surged since October 7, 2023, reaching its highest level since 2006, according to the UN. September saw the most violent month of the year, but the frequency of attacks has significantly increased in October, with the Armed Conflict Location and Event Data Project recording an average of 39 incidents per day from October 1 to October 9, compared to around 20 incidents per day in September.