'They just kept kicking me and kicking me': Journalist injured in West Bank settler attack
News Source
β’Sat, 17 Oct 2026 01:09:35 +0000
π° What Happened
About 80 Israeli settlers attacked Palestinian villagers who were picking olives in the occupied West Bank. The settlers wore black clothes and masks and came down from a hill above the groves.
Some carried gas canisters and used slings to throw rocks. At least two people were hurt, including Heidi Levine, an American photojournalist working for The Washington Post.
She said the attackers kept kicking her. Villagers threw stones back to defend themselves. The settlers also burned olive trees.
π The Backstory
Olive harvesting is a major part of Palestinian life and income, and the season often brings clashes in the West Bank. Settlers want to push villagers off land near their outposts.
Israel has built settlements in the West Bank that most countries consider illegal. Violence by settlers has risen, and Palestinian families say the army rarely stops it. The Washington Post has called for an investigation into the attack on its journalist.
π― Why It Matters
This shows how dangerous the olive harvest has become, and why journalists and farmers say they need protection while doing ordinary work.
About 80 Israeli settlers attacked Palestinian villagers who were picking olives in the occupied West Bank. The settlers wore black clothes and masks and came down from a hill above the groves.
Some carried gas canisters and used slings to throw rocks. At least two people were hurt, including Heidi Levine, an American photojournalist working for The Washington Post.
She said the attackers kept kicking her. Villagers threw stones back to defend themselves. The settlers also burned olive trees.
Olive harvesting is a major part of Palestinian life and income, and the season often brings clashes in the West Bank. Settlers want to push villagers off land near their outposts.
Israel has built settlements in the West Bank that most countries consider illegal. Violence by settlers has risen, and Palestinian families say the army rarely stops it. The Washington Post has called for an investigation into the attack on its journalist.
This shows how dangerous the olive harvest has become, and why journalists and farmers say they need protection while doing ordinary work.