Lucrezia Ciotti Washington Post journalist Heidi Levine, 63, was attacked by a group of masked Israeli settlers while documenting the olive harvest in the West Bank. The photojournalist was hospitalized in Ramallah with injuries and fractures. Israeli authorities are investigating the incident, which was also captured on video, while Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has called for clarification of the circumstances of the clashes.
Washington Post journalist Heidi Levine attacked in West Bank: hospitalized with fractures
Photojournalist Heidi Levine, 63 , a Washington Post contributor, was taken to a Ramallah hospital after being attacked in the West Bank village of Abu Falah , north of Ramallah . She was covering Palestinian farmers' olive harvest when a group of masked Israeli settlers allegedly attacked them.
Despite wearing a protective vest with the word "Press" prominently displayed and a helmet, Levine was thrown to the ground and repeatedly punched . " I was brutally attacked, knocked to the ground. They kept kicking me, like 50 times ," she said, emphasizing that the protective gear may have saved her life: " Otherwise, I probably wouldn't be here ."
The photojournalist also reported the theft of her equipment and phone . Her Palestinian colleagues rescued her before medical personnel took her by ambulance to the hospital, where she was diagnosed with injuries and several fractures. The incident was also documented in a video shared on social media and by witnesses gathered at the scene. Levine then recalled her son Michael's concern for her safety: " He always told me that his greatest fear was that his mother would be killed by settlers. We talked about it just yesterday ."
Journalist attacked by settlers: Israeli authorities investigate and Netanyahu condemns her.
The Israel Defense Forces and police have launched an investigation into the attack in Abu Falah, which reportedly involved around 80 settlers and injured Palestinians harvesting olives. According to the Palestinian Red Crescent, a 40-year-old man was among those involved. The Israeli military reported that soldiers and Border Police officers intervened after receiving reports of a " violent clash ," saying they used riot control equipment to disperse those present.
However, accounts of the attack remain conflicting: some witnesses claim the military failed to stop the attackers and instead used tear gas against Palestinians. Washington Post editor-in-chief Matt Murray condemned the attack and called for a thorough investigation.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu also spoke out on the matter, reiterating his condemnation of the violence but calling for clarification of the circumstances of the clashes. " The facts surrounding the clash near Abu Falah, during which Washington Post photojournalist Heidi Levin was reportedly attacked, remain unclear and are under investigation ," his office said in a statement. Netanyahu also cited reports that approximately 200 Arabs and far-left activists clashed with 40 young Israelis. " The investigation must establish the facts, including who initiated the violence ," he concluded.