Washington Post photographer Heidi Levine sustained broken vertebrae and other injuries after being attacked by Jewish settlers in the occupied West Bank during the olive harvest. Levine, recovering in a hospital, expressed feeling “shocked and insulted” by Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s characterization of the attack as “alleged,” stating he had ample evidence. The incident, which also injured Palestinians, follows a pattern of settler violence that Netanyahu has attributed to a small number of individuals. Levine blamed “Jewish terrorists” for the attack and described a country in a state she has not seen in her 40 years covering the region.
President Isaac Herzog called Levine to express his condemnation, and former general Yair Golan visited her in the hospital. Several top former Israeli security and intelligence officials also signed a letter expressing shame over the attack. Meanwhile, Netanyahu’s main rival, Gadi Eisenkot, stated that a “handful of criminals” are eroding the legitimacy of the state. U.S. Ambassador Mike Huckabee called the attack a “despicable act of terror” and called for lengthy prison sentences for those responsible.
Reports indicate hundreds of Palestinians have been attacked and a few killed during this year’s olive harvest, with olive trees, central to Palestinian heritage, being destroyed. The attack on Levine and Palestinians occurred a day after an attack on European diplomats in a Christian village. While left-leaning outlets highlight the escalating settler violence and criticism of Netanyahu’s response, right-leaning coverage focuses on the severity of the attack itself and calls for justice for the victim. Police have not released any new information on the case.
Our reading is that the incident with Heidi Levine is not isolated, but part of a documented pattern of escalating violence against both Palestinians and journalists during the olive harvest. The differing coverage, focus on the attack itself versus the broader context, highlights a clear ideological split in how this violence is framed. The lack of police updates, combined with Netanyahu’s initial characterization of the attack as “alleged,” suggests a potential lack of accountability and a downplaying of the severity of the situation.
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