West Bank Settlers Attack Injures Washington Post Journalist
The west bank settlers attack unfolded on Friday in Abu Falah, northeast of Ramallah, where masked Israeli settlers descended on Palestinians harvesting olives — beating villagers, setting groves ablaze, and badly injuring a Washington Post photojournalist on assignment.
Veteran photographer Heidi Levine, 64, said dozens of settlers rushed the group with slingshots and clubs. Wearing a protective vest clearly marked as press, plus a helmet and flak jacket, she was knocked to the ground, kicked repeatedly and stripped of her cameras, bag and phone in an assault she estimated lasted about ten minutes. She was taken by ambulance to a hospital in Ramallah with multiple injuries, and later said she believed the protective gear saved her life.
At Least 11 Wounded in Harvest Attacks
Medics reported at least eleven people wounded across Friday’s attacks: ten Palestinians and the American journalist. The Red Crescent said two men, aged 40 and 70, were hurt alongside Levine in Abu Falah; five more Palestinians were wounded in Burqa and Beit Ummar; and three people were beaten near Turmus Ayya, where vehicles were also set on fire. A Palestinian man was shot in the thigh by Israeli soldiers, according to witnesses cited by Al Jazeera.
Video of the assault showed settlers hurling stones at Palestinians, surrounding Levine on a dirt path, and tearing away her bag. Israeli police said they opened investigations into the Abu Falah and Turmus Ayya incidents and would bring those involved to justice; the military said it would look into the attack on Levine while noting enforcement was a multi-agency responsibility.
Outrage and a US Response
Washington Post executive editor Matt Murray said the paper was outraged by the unwarranted attack on a journalist doing her job and urged a thorough investigation with follow-through from authorities. The US State Department said it was aware of the reports and was greatly concerned whenever an American is harmed overseas, standing ready to provide consular assistance.
The assault was among several attacks targeting the annual olive harvest, and observers describe violence in the West Bank as at or near an all-time high.
Source: The Washington Post