American photojournalist beaten by masked Israeli settlers in the West Bank

Heidi Levine, a 64-year-old American photojournalist working for The Washington Post, was hospitalized after masked Israeli settlers beat her and stole her cameras near the West Bank village of Abu Falah. The U.S. Embassy condemned the violence and called for prosecutions.

Ally Daily Editorial DeskOctober 16, 2026, 08:43 PMUpdated: October 16, 2026, 10:02 PM

American photojournalist beaten by masked Israeli settlers in the West Bank

An American photojournalist working for The Washington Post was hospitalized in Ramallah on Friday after masked Israeli settlers attacked her in the occupied West Bank. Heidi Levine, 64, was photographing Palestinians harvesting olives near Abu Falah when about 20 masked men came down from a settlement outpost into the grove, according to video of the incident. She was knocked down, repeatedly kicked and robbed of her cameras and phone.

“I fell to the ground and they kicked me for about 10 minutes,” Levine said, adding that no Israeli soldiers were present when the attack took place. She was wearing a helmet and a vest marked “Press,” which she said shielded her from more serious injuries.

Speaking later at a hospital in Ramallah, Levine said about 80 masked people took part in the assault and that the group attacked Palestinian olive pickers and activists who had come to protect them with slingshots and Molotov cocktails. She said the attackers forcibly took her cameras and the waist bag holding her passport, and snapped the cord around her neck to take her phone. Palestinians carried her to a safe place, and an ambulance took her first to a medical center in Abu Falah and then to the hospital in Ramallah, where doctors bandaged wounds to her left hand and left foot.

Washington Post photojournalist Heidi Levine at a hospital in Ramallah

Embassy and newspaper demand accountability

Washington Post photographer Heidi Levine in hospital after the attack

Washington Post Executive Editor Matt Murray said the paper was outraged and called for a thorough investigation. A U.S. Embassy spokesperson said Washington condemns “criminal violence by any party in the West Bank” and urged investigations and convictions. The Israeli military said it strongly condemned the incident and that troops fired warning shots while dispersing the confrontation; Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s office said the facts remain unclear.

U.N. Deputy Spokesperson Farhan Haq also called for a thorough investigation. “We want this to be thoroughly investigated and for any further harassment of journalists to be prevented,” Haq said. He said the U.N. has raised the issue with member states and called on all countries to respect the rights of journalists.

Wave of violence during harvest

Two vehicles were set on fire near Abu Falah, a Palestinian was shot in the thigh, and four people were hurt in nearby Burqa, according to the Palestine Red Crescent. Israeli rights group Yesh Din documented 486 violent incidents against Palestinians in 181 localities over 18 days, 234 of them tied to the olive harvest. AFP photographer Jaafar Ashtiyeh was beaten by settlers while covering the harvest on Oct. 6.

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American photojournalist beaten by masked Israeli settlers in the West Bank