On October 16th local time, American Washington Post journalist Heidi Levin was attacked by a group of masked Israeli settlers while interviewing Palestinians picking olives on the West Bank.
Live video and eyewitness accounts show that several dozen men dressed in black or gray clothing rushed towards the olive grove from the settlement, throwing stones at the crowd and setting fire to olive trees and vehicles.
Levin was wearing a protective vest with the clear label "PRESS" (media).
According to Levin’s own account, she was pushed to the ground and continued to be kicked by the attackers. The attack lasted approximately 10 minutes. The attackers also took away her camera, phone, and bags containing her passport and other belongings. She later went to the hospital for treatment. According to reports in the Washington Post, she was diagnosed with…
Lewin said, “Fortunately, I was wearing a protective vest and a helmet. Otherwise, I might not have survived today, as they kept kicking me relentlessly.” She said, “They were simply not human beings.”
Lewin also stated that he does not believe that the attackers will eventually be prosecuted.
The Washington Post condemned the attack on its journalists and demanded a thorough investigation into the incident.
Previously, the British newspaper The Guardian reported on October 7th that armed Jewish settlers beat a photographer while Israeli soldiers were present, forcing him to be hospitalized. At the time of the incident, the photographer was reporting on the increasingly violent actions of settlers on the occupied West Bank against olive growers.
58-year-old Jia Fa'er Ashtiye is a senior photographer for France Presse stationed in the Palestinian territories. Despite having clear journalist identification, he was attacked by a group of Jewish settlers using rifles. The attack occurred under the watch of roughly a dozen armed Israeli soldiers.
According to witnesses, his family, and fellow journalists, Ashtey had injuries to the head and torso, and was then taken to the hospital.
During the attack, violent acts by Israeli settlers on the West Bank were intensifying. Olive trees are a vital part of the Palestinian economy; every year, Jewish settlers attack Palestinian farmers who attempt to harvest olives, and the perpetrators are rarely held accountable legally. As Israeli elections approach at the end of this month, the violence during this harvest season has been particularly severe.
