Stories
WaPo Photographer Recounts Brutal Attack by Israeli Settlers in West Bank
- •American photojournalist Heidi Levine was beaten by masked Israeli settlers while covering violence against Palestinian olive farmers in the West Bank.
- •Levine stated that her helmet and flak jacket likely saved her life as attackers repeatedly kicked her after she was pushed to the ground.
- •The attack ended when Palestinian colleagues intervened, and Levine was subsequently hospitalized with four broken vertebrae requiring surgery.
- •The Washington Post condemned the unwarranted attack on a journalist wearing clearly marked press gear and demanded a thorough investigation.
- •The office of Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu stated the incident is under investigation, while the US State Department condemned the criminal violence.
Key Questions Answered
American photojournalist Heidi Levine was beaten by a group of more than 50 masked Israeli settlers while covering violence against Palestinian olive farmers near Abu Falah and Turmus Ayya. She suffered four broken vertebrae and required surgery after being kicked repeatedly while on the ground.
The violent assault by the masked settlers ended after Levine's Palestinian colleagues intervened. Medics subsequently transported her by ambulance to a clinic in Abu Falah before she was transferred to a hospital for treatment.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's office stated that the incident was under investigation and those responsible would be held accountable. Additionally, a US State Department official condemned the violence, called for legal accountability, and offered consular assistance to The Washington Post.
