Washington Post Photographer Attacked by Settlers in West Bank

Washington Post photojournalist Heidi Levine was hospitalized with serious injuries after being attacked and robbed of her camera equipment by masked Israeli settlers in the West Bank on Friday. Other journalists rescued Levine from the assailants while Israeli Defense Forces soldiers reportedly observed the incident.

Levine sustained lacerations and a wound to her hand that split her finger to the bone. An independent journalist who assisted in her rescue stated that Levine also suffered cracked ribs and may have been stabbed. The Washington Post condemned the attack in a statement.

This incident occurs amidst a reported surge in settler violence in the West Bank, which has intensified during the ongoing olive harvest. Last week, an Agence France-Presse photojournalist was reportedly beaten with rifles by settlers, and Palestinian residents have faced shootings, beatings, and terrorization with little consequence for the perpetrators.

Rising Settler Violence

The settler movement in the West Bank is considered illegal under international law. However, its growth has been supported by the current Israeli government, particularly by officials like Bezalel Smotrich, minister of finance, and Itamar Ben Gvir, minister of national security, both of whom are settlers. Their offices have been used to further the settler cause and facilitate unchecked violence against Palestinians.

A United Nations report in June indicated that settler attacks had reached the highest sustained levels ever recorded, with an average of six daily incidents resulting in casualties or property damage. These attacks have frequently led to Palestinians being displaced from their homes. In late September, the International Committee of the Red Cross stated that expanding settlements and settler violence were making life untenable for Palestinian residents.

Settlements and settler violence are described as deliberate tactics aimed at dispossessing Palestinians of their land, isolating those who remain, and hindering the possibility of a two-state solution.

Pre-Election Escalation

With Israeli elections scheduled for October 27, settler violence is anticipated to worsen. Observers suggest that settlers are accelerating their efforts to consolidate gains and expand territory before the election, potentially due to the possibility of the current government losing power. This has led to an increase in extreme acts of violence as settlers "race to lock down gains."