Heidi Levine

Israeli settlers attacked Palestinian olive farmers during the harvest in the occupied West Bank, injuring or confronting Washington Post photographer Heidi Levine as she covered the scene, according to a Guardian report. The incident adds to a pattern of settler violence reported during the annual olive harvest season, which human rights groups say has grown increasingly dangerous for Palestinian farmers and journalists.

Heidi Levine, a photojournalist for The Washington Post, was attacked and seriously injured by Israeli settlers in the West Bank on Friday. She has described how local Palestinian youths came to her aid and helped save her during the assault. Her account is drawing attention to rising settler violence against journalists and Palestinians in the occupied West Bank.

American photojournalist Heidi Levine says Palestinian youths formed a protective shield around her as she came under attack by settlers in the West Bank. In her account, she describes the incident, criticises comments made by Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu about it, and says she intends to keep working in the West Bank despite the danger.

An Israeli court has released nine of the ten settlers arrested over attacks on American photojournalist Heidi Levine and European diplomats in the occupied West Bank, placing them under house arrest instead of keeping them in detention. The incident, in which settlers allegedly targeted a US journalist and foreign diplomats, has drawn attention to settler violence and questions over accountability in the West Bank.