Washington Post photographer Heidi Levine beaten and hospitalised in the West Bank

Veteran American photographer Heidi Levine, 63, was hospitalized following a violent attack by masked Israeli settlers in the West Bank. While documenting the Palestinian olive harvest near the village of Abu Falah, Levine was targeted by a group of settlers who set fire to fields and olive trees. Witnesses and video footage show Levine, wearing protective gear clearly marked as "PRESS," being surrounded, repeatedly kicked, and beaten with sticks.

Her cameras and phone were reportedly damaged during the assault. The attack occurred just 10 days after another photographer was beaten by settlers. This incident is part of a surge in violence during the annual olive harvest, which often leads to confrontations. Levine, a Jewish photographer who has covered the Israeli-Palestinian conflict for over 30 years, is the second journalist to be physically assaulted while working this year.

She emphasized her disbelief at the behavior of the attackers, stating, "As a parent myself I cannot understand how any parent could raise such monsters." Levine's assault highlights the dangers faced by photographers and journalists documenting events in the occupied West Bank, where extremist settlers have been seizing Palestinian olive groves, often deeming the trees a cultural symbol.