American photojournalist Heidi Levine sustained severe injuries when dozens of masked Israeli settlers attacked Palestinians harvesting olives near Ramallah on October 16, 2026.
The assault unfolded in the West Bank village of Abu Falah as Palestinian families gathered their autumn olive crop. A group of approximately 80 to 100 masked settlers, some carrying firearms and clubs, descended upon the groves to disrupt the annual harvest, hurling rocks with slingshots while Israeli military vehicles watched from nearby. When villagers attempted to defend themselves with stones, Israeli forces responded by firing tear gas into the area.
Levine, a veteran photojournalist based in Israel who was wearing a protective vest clearly marked PRESS
, found herself trapped in the melee. I got jumped and I saw in the very beginning at least 25, maybe 50 of them, and I was on the ground and they were kicking me for like 10 minutes,
Levine told reporters from her hospital bed in Ramallah. She credited her flak jacket and helmet with saving her life.
Luckily I had my flak jacket and helmet, otherwise I probably wouldn’t even be here, because they just kept kicking me and kicking me.
Heidi Levine, Washington Post photojournalist
Hospitalization and Extent of Injuries Sustained in Abu Falah
Evacuated to a government hospital in Ramallah, Levine underwent surgery for a finger that was nearly severed. Her daughter told The Associated Press that the photographer also sustained a broken rib, multiple broken vertebrae, and deep lacerations. Independent journalist Jasper Nathaniel, who witnessed the attack, described Levine as being in very, very bad shape
and unable to stand.
US Secretary of State Marco Rubio says Washington is “very disturbed” after US photographer Heidi Levine was attacked while covering the Palestinian olive harvest in the occupied West Bank. He urged Israel to “crack down” on violence there.🔴 More on https://t.co/MbrRGkFKRg pic.twitter.com/NLq4JAfWko
— https://x.com/AJEnglish/status/2111619534277005654
The attackers also made off with Levine’s passport, telephone, wallet, and camera equipment. Her Palestinian colleagues ultimately intervened, fighting off the assailants and carrying her toward an arriving ambulance.
Political Fallout and Official Responses in Washington and Jerusalem
The attack triggered swift diplomatic condemnation from American officials. U.S. Ambassador to Israel Mike Huckabee condemned the assault on X, calling it a despicable act of terror carried out by masked cowards
and demanding a full investigation, arrests, and prosecution to the fullest extent of the law. U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio told reporters that Washington expects Israeli authorities to crack down on settler violence to prevent future incidents.
Meanwhile, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s office adopted an equivocal stance. Facing closely contested October 27 elections and relying on a pro-settlement right-wing base, Netanyahu’s office issued a statement claiming the facts remain unclear and are under investigation, while suggesting the confrontation involved 200 Arabs and far-left activists.
Israeli President Isaac Herzog offered a contrasting tone, condemning the shocking violence
and calling Levine directly to apologize. The despicable behavior of the perpetrators of this attack does not represent the citizens or the values of the State of Israel,
Herzog said in a statement. Opposition leader Yair Lapid went further, stating plainly that Jewish terror attacks, this time targeting a Washington Post photographer as well, are not a failure of the government — they are the government’s policy.
Escalating Violence Across the West Bank Harvest Season
The violence against Levine and Palestinian farmers is part of a broader surge in West Bank unrest. According to the United Nations, settler attacks during the harvest season have already surpassed 200 incidents, exceeding the 185 recorded during the entire 2025 season and leaving more than 120 Palestinians wounded alongside one recorded death.
Israeli monitoring group Yesh Din reported documenting 486 violent incidents across 181 Palestinian localities in an 18-day window, with nearly half tied directly to the olive harvest pursued by local families. At the same time, the Israeli military has tightened access restrictions, prohibiting Palestinians from entering approximately 8,800 hectares of agricultural land without prior military approval—representing a 30 percent increase in restricted acreage compared to the previous year according to figures from Peace Now.
The Foreign Press Association issued an official statement denouncing the assault on Levine as the latest in a long line of violent attacks by Israeli settlers against journalists and other civilians in the occupied West Bank.
Reporters Without Borders similarly condemned the incident, urging Israeli authorities to bring an end to impunity and prosecute the perpetrators.
Amid the worsening climate, extremist figures have also weighed in on the harvest. Prominent Israeli Rabbi Dov Lior issued a religious ruling on Friday permitting settlers to harvest olives from Palestinian orchards. The ruling claimed that Palestinian landowners who could not access their groves due to military restrictions had already been sufficiently compensated in prior years, while describing the appropriation as an additional virtue for settlers.
The Washington Post leadership, including executive editor Matt Murray and CEO Jeff D’Onofrio, expressed outrage over the targeting of a journalist performing her professional duties, thanking international leaders for their expressions of support while pressing Israeli authorities for complete transparency and accountability.