Masked Israeli settlers assault journalists and Palestinians during West Bank olive harvest

At least 80 masked settlers stormed the Abu Falah olive grove on Friday, injuring a Washington Post photographer and a Palestinian man, while Israeli troops fired tear‑gas.

By Felo News Desk · Published Fri, 16 Oct 2026 18:36:24 GMT

Dozens of masked Israeli settlers stormed an olive‑harvest gathering in the West Bank village of Abu Falah on Friday, hospitalising a Washington Post photographer and a Palestinian man, according to the Independent and Al Jazeera.

What happened

Witnesses said at least 50‑80 settlers, wearing black balaclavas and armed with clubs, slingshots, and in some cases automatic rifles, descended on the olive grove as villagers began the annual harvest. The attackers beat journalists, including veteran reporter Heidi Levine of the Washington Post, and a Palestinian man, before Israeli military jeeps arrived and fired tear‑gas. The assault continued after the troops entered the area.

What the reports add

The Independent reported that photographer Andrey X captured footage showing settlers repeatedly battering Levine, who later said she was "brutally attacked" and had her camera gear, bag and phone stripped away. The outlet also noted that Reuters witnesses observed guns among the settlers. Al Jazeera added that around 80 masked settlers were involved, that some used slingshots while others carried machine‑guns, and that an independent journalist, Jasper Nathaniel, heard live gunfire. Both sources said the Israeli military responded with tear‑gas, but the attack persisted.

What was said

Heidi Levine told the Independent from a hospital bed that "they just kept kicking me and kicking me" and that she survived only because she wore a flak jacket and helmet. Andrey X, who filmed the incident, told the Independent that the settlers "relentlessly battered" Levine and that the violence continued after soldiers arrived. Jasper Nathaniel, speaking to Al Jazeera, described the sound of live gunfire and said more settlers armed with machine‑guns arrived later.

How it came about

The attack occurred amid a broader pattern of settler violence during the olive‑harvest season, which Felo previously reported in several pieces, including the September 30 clashes in Jalud and the October 14 arson of a mosque in Mikhmas. The escalation follows increased settler activity linked to government‑backed settlement expansion, as noted in Al Jazeera’s coverage.

Key facts

Dozens of masked settlers attacked an olive‑harvest gathering in Abu Falah, West Bank. (independent.co.uk)
Washington Post photographer Heidi Levine and a Palestinian man were hospitalised. (aljazeera.com)
Settlers were armed with clubs, slingshots, and rifles; Israeli troops fired tear‑gas. (independent.co.uk)
Heidi Levine said she was repeatedly kicked and had her equipment stolen. (independent.co.uk)
The incident follows a series of recent settler attacks in the West Bank. (aljazeera.com)

Where accounts differ

Number of settlers involved: at least 50 settlers descended on the grove (independent.co.uk); approximately 80 masked settlers charged at Palestinians (aljazeera.com)