A group of masked Israeli settlers reportedly launched an assault on Palestinians and injured an American journalist during an olive harvest in the occupied West Bank, as per witnesses and video evidence.
Around 80 settlers descended from a hill and confronted Palestinians gathering olives in Abu Falah, a Palestinian village located approximately 25 kilometers northeast of Ramallah, according to a report by Reuters.
Videos captured settlers using slingshots to hurl stones at the Palestinians, with images showing olive trees on fire near a large group of settlers.
At least two Israeli military jeeps were reported to have rushed to the scene during the attack, but the assault persisted even after the army’s arrival. Tear gas was also deployed by Israeli soldiers toward Palestinians who evaded the jeeps, while some Palestinians retaliated by throwing stones in self-defense.
An Israeli settler launches a projectile at Palestinians in Abu Falah. (Ammar Awad/Reuters)
The incident also saw Washington Post photojournalist Heidi Levine caught in the attack while covering the village, where she was reportedly knocked down, repeatedly kicked, and robbed of her cameras and phone, the U.S. newspaper stated.
Footage depicted Levine, wearing identifiable press gear, lying on the ground with settlers surrounding her, as Matt Murray, the Post’s executive director, condemned the assault on a journalist carrying out her duties and called for a thorough investigation and accountability.
Levine, visibly shaken, recounted the attack from her hospital bed in Ramallah, describing it as a brutal assault that left her on the ground enduring repeated kicks, emphasizing that her protective gear likely saved her life.
Washington Post photojournalist Heidi Levine recounts being kicked by Israeli settlers during the Abu Falah attack. (Ali Sawafta/Reuters)
‘Israeli army to investigate the incident’
The Israeli military announced through social media that troops and Israel Border Police were dispatched to the area near Abu Falah following reports of a violent clash.
The army stated that all aspects of the incident would be scrutinized, mentioning that upon arrival, forces used riot dispersal methods to control the confrontation.
Additionally, soldiers fired towards a suspect carrying a sharp object who posed a threat, as the army emphasized a zero-tolerance policy towards violence against civilians and pledged to address such incidents collaboratively.
Palestinians with an Israeli military vehicle near a fire in Abu Falah, West Bank, on Friday. (Ammar Awad/Reuters)
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