Palestinians wounded, US journalist hospitalised after coordinated attack by masked Israeli setters

About 80 masked Israeli settlers attacked Palestinian families harvesting olives in Abu Falah, northeast of Ramallah. They wore black, threw rocks, and set olive groves on fire. The assault disrupted a civilian harvest and raised serious concerns about protection for Palestinians and journalists in the occupied West Bank.

Washington Post photojournalist Heidi Levine was knocked down and beaten with sticks. She said settlers kicked her repeatedly for about 10 minutes and damaged or took her cameras and pouch. Her helmet and flak jacket helped protect her. Another Palestinian was also hospitalised, while witnesses reported that a Palestinian was wounded by gunfire.

The attack’s full toll included injuries, damaged equipment, and harm to farmland. Reports also described a 70-year-old Palestinian man being assaulted near Birzeit. The article records calls for a thorough investigation, but does not state that one was completed or identify arrests.

The term “Israeli settlers” usually refers to Israeli citizens who live in settlements established in the West Bank, including communities built after Israel captured the territory in 1967. Israel describes some settlement areas as part of its national community, while most governments and international bodies regard the settlements as unlawful under international law.

The West Bank lies west of the Jordan River and borders Israel and Jordan. Palestinians live there alongside Israeli settlers, under a system shaped by Israeli military occupation and Palestinian self-government in some areas. Abu Falah and Birzeit, the locations named here, are north of Ramallah.

This distinction matters because civilians harvesting olives faced an attack by a masked mob, while witnesses said soldiers did not stop the settlers. The article uses “occupied West Bank” to describe the territory’s political and legal status. It does not detail the boundaries or administration of every area.

The reported attackers were a coordinated group of about 80 settlers. Witnesses said they wore masks and black clothing before descending on Abu Falah, northeast of Ramallah. Their size and apparent coordination made the assault especially threatening to families gathering olives.

The violence included rocks thrown at Palestinian families, sticks used to beat Heidi Levine, and fires started in olive groves. Witnesses also reported gunfire, including at least one Palestinian being shot. Reuters said at least one settler carried a firearm. Near Birzeit, settlers reportedly assaulted a 70-year-old man and smashed Palestinian-owned vehicles.

The reported damage therefore affected people, farms, vehicles, and professional equipment. Levine said her cameras and pouch were broken or torn away. The article does not provide a confirmed total for the number of vehicles damaged, the extent of the burned groves, or the identities of those responsible.

The scene included Palestinian families harvesting olives, a masked group of Israeli settlers, journalists, and Israeli soldiers. Heidi Levine was reporting as a Washington Post photojournalist. Israeli journalists Andrey Khrzhanovskiy and Oren Ziv witnessed the assault, while American journalist Jasper Nathaniel also reported from the scene.

Khrzhanovskiy said soldiers arrived shortly before the attack. He reported that they fired tear gas at Palestinians and did “absolutely nothing” about the settlers. Ziv said one Palestinian was wounded by gunfire. Nathaniel reported machine-gun fire and at least one Palestinian shot. Reuters reported that at least one settler carried a firearm.

These accounts portray soldiers as present but not intervening against the attackers, according to witnesses. The article does not include an Israeli military response or an official explanation. It does, however, record the Washington Post executive editor’s demand for a thorough investigation into the assault on Levine.

The attack produced immediate injuries and property loss. Heidi Levine was taken to hospital with a bandaged hand after being knocked down and beaten. She said her helmet and flak jacket helped protect her, while settlers broke or pulled away her cameras and pouch. Another Palestinian was hospitalised after the incident.

Palestinian olive pickers also faced physical danger. Witnesses reported that one Palestinian was wounded by gunfire. Near Birzeit, a 70-year-old Palestinian man was assaulted and left with fractures and other injuries. Settlers reportedly smashed several Palestinian-owned vehicles and set olive groves alight.

The consequences reached both livelihoods and documentation of the event. Damaged groves could affect the harvest, while broken cameras affected a journalist’s work. The article does not quantify the financial losses or say whether the injured people were later discharged. It records a call for a thorough investigation into Levine’s assault.

Olive harvests matter because they support household incomes and food supplies across Palestinian communities. Families sell olives and olive oil, use the products themselves, and rely on seasonal harvesting for work. The trees can provide value for decades, so damage to a grove threatens more than one season’s earnings.

The harvest is also a communal and cultural event. Relatives and neighbours often gather during the season, passing down farming knowledge and maintaining connections to family land. Olive trees have become a widely recognised symbol of Palestinian identity and rootedness. These broader economic and cultural details are established background, not details provided in this article.

That context makes the reported attack especially consequential. Burning groves, blocking pickers, or damaging vehicles can reduce income and make future harvesting harder. The article describes families picking olives and groves being set alight, but gives no estimate of lost production, financial damage, or the harvest’s wider economic value.

The West Bank came under Israeli occupation after Israel captured it from Jordan during the June 1967 Six-Day War. This historical background is not detailed in the article, but it explains why the territory is commonly described as occupied. The Palestinian Authority later gained limited self-rule in parts of the West Bank, while Israel retained overall military power.

Under the Fourth Geneva Convention and related international humanitarian law, an occupying power must protect civilians, ensure humane treatment, maintain public order and essential services, and investigate or prevent serious abuses. It must also distinguish civilians from combatants and protect property unless military necessity permits otherwise.

Those duties matter here because witnesses described soldiers present during an attack by settlers. They said soldiers used tear gas against Palestinians but did not stop the settlers. The article provides no official military response, so it does not establish how authorities assessed or addressed the alleged violations. A thorough investigation would help clarify responsibility and accountability.