U.S. photojournalist injured in settler attack in the West Bank during olive harvest

A U.S. photojournalist was injured on Friday in an attack by Israeli settlers in the West Bank, according to witness accounts and video from the scene. Heidi Levine, who works for The Washington Post, was near Turmus Ayya and Khirbet Abu Falah when the assault took place. She was later taken to a hospital in Ramallah after being helped by colleagues.

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Witnesses told Reuters that the group involved numbered about 80 settlers. They said some of the attackers wore black clothing and masks, threw stones at residents and used gas canisters to set fire to olive trees where Palestinians had gathered to harvest ripe olives. Another person was also reported injured in the incident.

A video posted by a witness on X and obtained by Reuters showed Levine on the ground before being assisted. The attack reportedly continued after Israeli forces arrived at the area. According to the witness accounts, soldiers fired tear gas toward Palestinians who had moved away from vehicles passing at high speed through the area.

A Reuters photographer said he saw at least one armed settler during the confrontation. In a statement, Israeli military forces said soldiers and border police fired warning shots after taking up positions in the area and, at one point, also fired toward a person they said posed a threat. The incident adds to the long-running tensions surrounding violence in the West Bank, where confrontations between settlers and Palestinians have repeatedly flared around farmland and access to olive groves.

The olive harvest is a significant seasonal activity for many Palestinian families, and attacks during this period can disrupt livelihoods as well as heighten insecurity in rural communities. The presence of a foreign journalist among the injured also draws wider attention to the risks faced by reporters covering the conflict on the ground. Turmus Ayya and Khirbet Abu Falah are both near Ramallah, in an area that has seen repeated unrest linked to settler-Palestinian clashes.

The reporting described masked attackers, burning of trees and stone-throwing, all of which point to a fast-moving confrontation rather than a brief isolated incident. The military response, including warning shots and tear gas, suggests the situation remained volatile even after troops reached the scene. What remains unclear is whether anyone has been detained or whether any formal investigation has been opened into the attack.

It is also not clear from the available information how seriously the other injured person was hurt. Further statements from the military, local authorities or the journalist's employer may clarify the sequence of events and whether the confrontation is being treated as a criminal attack or a broader security incident.

#WestBank #Israelisettlers #HeidiLevine #Ramallah #oliveharvest

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