Washington Post journalist hospitalized after Israeli settler attack on Palestinian olive harvest in West Bank

Ahmad Gharabli/AFP/Getty Images

A Washington Post photojournalist was hospitalized after Israeli settlers in the occupied West Bank attacked her and a group of Palestinians during the annual olive harvest.

Veteran photojournalist Heidi Levine, who was on assignment for the Washington Post, said the group of Palestinians she was with began to retreat when they saw dozens of settlers running toward them.

In a video statement, Levine said settlers kicked her while she was on the ground. “I had my camera bag and my pouch with my passport, and my telephone was on a rope around my neck and they broke that off me, and they broke my cameras off me, and they broke my bag, and they kept kicking me,” said Levine, who estimated the attack lasted 10 minutes. “Just absolute craziness, and I didn’t see anybody trying to stop it.”

“I don’t know how a parent can raise such a monster. They’re not even humans, and yes, they are Jewish terrorists,” Levine added. “And you know what? Sadly, none of them will be prosecuted. I am sure of it.”

The Washington Post said Levine was wearing “visible markings clearly identifying her as a journalist” during the attack. “We are outraged by this unwarranted attack on a journalist doing her job and urge a thorough investigation and follow-through from authorities.”

Video of the attack showed a group of masked settlers, some armed with clubs, hurling stones at a group of Palestinians, some of whom are also throwing stones. In the background, at least five settlers surround Levine and throw her to the ground, beating her as she covers her face with her hands. The settlers appear to rip away Levine’s bag.

The Palestine Red Crescent Society said it was treating two people after they were beaten by settlers: a 63-year-old woman and a 40-year-old man. The assault is part of a wave of settler attacks at the start of the Palestinian olive harvest that residents reported across the area. Last year’s olive harvest saw a surge of such incidents across the West Bank as settlers attacked Palestinians and prevented them from accessing their land.

Levine was rushed to the Ramallah Government Hospital after the attack, where she was in stable condition, according to the Foreign Press Association (FPA). Photos show Levine’s hand and leg wrapped in bandages as she rests in a hospital bed.

The FPA condemned the attack and called on the head of the Israeli military’s Central Command, which governs operations in the West Bank, to “stop making excuses and do its job of protecting civilians from these violent mobs.”

In a statement, the FPA said, “This is the latest in a long line of violent attacks by Israeli settlers against journalists and other cilivians in the occupied West Bank. Yet our repeated calls for action to confront this lawlessness have been ignored by Israeli authorities.”

Additional videos from the scene show a man with a bloodied face after the attack, as well as flame pouring out of a burning car with Palestinian license plates. Another video shows Israeli soldiers blocking the road. One soldier films with his phone; a second hurls what appears to be a smoke grenade as a man begs him, “Please don’t do it!”

CNN presses Netanyahu about settler attacks on Palestinians in the West Bank

Israel Police opened an investigation after receiving reports of the attack. In a statement, police said they “view any act of violence with great severity, particularly when it involves members of the media carrying out their work.”

The Israel Defense Forces (IDF) said they would examine “all circumstances” around the incident. “Attempts to incite friction between populations undermine security in the area,” the IDF said. “Attacks and violence against innocent civilians are grave and unacceptable acts.”

Mustafa Barghouti, head of the Palestinian National Initiative, said on X that “gangs of Israeli terrorist settlers” launched an attack on the village of Abu Falah, where Palestinians were preparing to harvest their olives.

“In full view of the cameras, the settlers set olive trees on fire, pelt Palestinian farmers with stones, and fired live ammunition, resorting to every possible form of terror and intimidation to prevent Palestinians from harvesting their own olive trees,” said Barghouti.

This is a developing story and will be updated.

艾哈迈德·加拉布利/法新社/盖蒂图片社

在一年一度的橄榄采摘季期间，以色列占领的约旦河西岸的定居者袭击了一名《华盛顿邮报》的摄影记者和一群巴勒斯坦人，导致该记者住院治疗。

资深摄影记者海蒂·莱文当时正在为《华盛顿邮报》执行任务，她说，当她和一群巴勒斯坦人看到数十名定居者朝他们跑来时，他们开始撤退。

莱文在一段视频声明中表示，定居者在她倒地后对她拳打脚踢。“我当时带着相机包和装有护照的小袋，手机用绳子挂在脖子上，他们把绳子扯了下来，还扯掉了我的相机和包，他们不停地踢我，”莱文说道，她估计袭击持续了10分钟。“简直太疯狂了，我没看到任何人试图阻止他们。”

“我不知道父母怎么能养出这样的怪物。他们根本就不是人，没错，他们是犹太恐怖分子，”莱文补充道。“你知道吗？可悲的是，他们一个都不会受到起诉。我对此深信不疑。”

《华盛顿邮报》称，莱文在遇袭时身穿“清晰可见的记者身份标识”。“我们对这起针对正在履行职责的记者的无端袭击感到愤慨，并敦促当局进行彻底调查和后续跟进。”

袭击视频显示，一群蒙面定居者，其中一些人手持棍棒，向一群巴勒斯坦人投掷石块，部分巴勒斯坦人也在投掷石块。视频背景中，至少五名定居者围住莱文，将她推倒在地，在她用双手捂脸时对她进行殴打。定居者似乎还抢走了莱文的包。

巴勒斯坦红新月会表示，他们正在救治两名遭到定居者殴打的伤者：一名63岁的妇女和一名40岁的男子。此次袭击事件是巴勒斯坦橄榄采摘季开始之际，定居者在该地区发动的一系列袭击之一，居民们纷纷报告了此类事件。去年橄榄采摘季期间，西岸地区此类事件激增，定居者袭击巴勒斯坦人并阻止他们进入自己的土地。

据外国记者协会（FPA）报道，袭击发生后，莱文被紧急送往拉马拉政府医院，目前情况稳定。照片显示，莱文躺在病床上，手和腿都缠着绷带。

自由巴勒斯坦组织谴责了这次袭击，并呼吁负责西岸军事行动的以色列中央司令部司令“停止找借口，履行其保护平民免受这些暴力暴徒侵害的职责”。

自由巴勒斯坦组织在一份声明中表示：“这是以色列定居者在被占领的西岸地区对记者和其他平民发动的一系列暴力袭击中的最新一起。然而，我们多次呼吁采取行动制止这种无法无天的行为，却被以色列当局置之不理。”

现场其他视频显示，袭击发生后，一名男子满脸是血，一辆挂着巴勒斯坦车牌的汽车燃烧着，火焰熊熊。另一段视频显示，以色列士兵封锁了道路。一名士兵用手机拍摄；另一名士兵投掷了一枚疑似烟雾弹的物体，一名男子哀求他：“求求你别这么做！”

CNN就定居者袭击西岸巴勒斯坦人事件向内塔尼亚胡施压

以色列警方在接到袭击报告后展开调查。警方在一份声明中表示，他们“高度重视任何暴力行为，尤其是当暴力行为涉及正在履行职责的媒体成员时”。

以色列国防军表示，他们将调查此次事件的“所有情况”。以色列国防军称：“试图煽动不同群体之间的摩擦会破坏该地区的安全。袭击和暴力侵害无辜平民是严重且不可接受的行为。”

巴勒斯坦民族倡议组织负责人穆斯塔法·巴尔古提在X电视台表示，“以色列恐怖分子定居者团伙”袭击了阿布法拉赫村，当时巴勒斯坦人正在那里准备收获橄榄。

巴尔古提说：“在摄像机的全程注视下，定居者放火焚烧橄榄树，向巴勒斯坦农民投掷石块，并开枪射击，动用一切可能的恐怖和恐吓手段，阻止巴勒斯坦人收割自己的橄榄树。”

这是一则正在更新的新闻。