Brief
Heidi Levine Hospitalised After Masked Settlers Attack Her in West Bank Olive Harvest
The veteran photographer was kicked for about ten minutes, taken to a Ramallah‑area hospital and says settlers were protected by Israeli troops.
By Felo News Desk · Published
American photographer Heidi Levine, a freelance contributor to The Washington Post, was assaulted by masked Israeli settlers while covering an olive‑harvest gathering in the village of Abu Falah, near Ramallah, on Friday, Times Now News reported.
What happened
Levine was wearing a vest marked “PRESS” and a helmet when dozens of settlers descended on the olive grove, knocked her to the ground and repeatedly kicked her for roughly ten minutes. Witnesses said the attackers also seized her cameras, phone and bag. After the beating, she was lifted, set down again and eventually escorted to a hospital in the Ramallah area.
What the reports add
According to the article, other journalists, including Jasper Nathaniel, helped Levine reach safety after Palestinian youths pushed the attackers back. Nathaniel alleged that Israeli troops fired tear‑gas and used machine guns, providing cover for the settlers, and that soldiers shot a Palestinian bystander and aimed guns at paramedics. Journalist Oren Ziv also reported that a Palestinian was wounded by gunfire. Activist Andrey Khrzhanovskiy said troops arrived shortly before the attack, fired tear‑gas at Palestinians, but did nothing to stop the settlers, who carried sticks and slings.
What was said
Levine told reporters, “They just kept kicking me and kicking me,” describing the assault lasting about ten minutes. In a statement to the Committee to Protect Journalists, she reiterated that the settlers continued beating her despite her identification as an American journalist.
How it came about
The incident follows a series of recent settler‑related attacks in the West Bank, including a masked‑settler assault on an olive‑harvest gathering in Abu Falah reported by Felo News on 2026‑10‑16, and earlier violence such as the Jalud family attack on 2026‑09‑30. These events illustrate a pattern of escalating confrontations between settlers and Palestinians, often occurring during agricultural activities.
Key facts
- Heidi Levine, a Washington Post photographer, was beaten by masked Israeli settlers during an olive‑harvest in Abu Falah. (timesnownews.com)
- Levine was kicked for about ten minutes and had her equipment taken. (timesnownews.com)
- Witnesses say Israeli troops fired tear‑gas and used machine guns while the assault took place. (timesnownews.com)
- Levine was taken to a hospital in the Ramallah area after the attack. (timesnownews.com)
- Other journalists, including Jasper Nathaniel, assisted Levine in reaching safety. (timesnownews.com)
Sources
- [1] timesnownews.com — originally reported as “'Let Me Die': Israeli Settlers' Attack Leaves Veteran US Photojournalist Heidi Levine Hospitalised”
