In brief
In the heart of the West Bank, a routine olive‑harvesting day turned violent when a group of Israeli settlers, many wearing black, descended a hill and attacked Palestinians. They set fire to more than a dozen olive trees and hurled stones from slingshots, forcing the workers to flee. Washington Post photographer Heidi Levine who was on‑site was hospitalized after being kicked and “jumped” onto the ground. The UN reports this surge in settler aggression has doubled the number of attacks seen in the harvest season last year, marking an all‑time high. The incident is being condemned by international bodies and highlights the escalating tensions in the region.
On a bright day in the West Bank, a routine olive‑harvest day turned violent. Around a dozen settlers, mostly wearing black, swooped down a hill near an illegal outpost and stormed a field where Palestinians and activists were picking olives.
The attackers set fire to over a dozen olive trees and hurled stones from slingshots, forcing the workers to scramble for cover. At least 10 trees were burned* and the clash left the harvest in disarray.
Washington Post photographer Heidi Levine was on the scene. She was rushed to a hospital after she was “jumped” on the ground and kicked, and she told reporters she had been violently displaced from the field.
The United Nations says the past two weeks have seen more assaults by Israeli settlers than in the entire harvest season of last year, pushing violence to an all‑time high. The attack fuels growing criticism that the occupation’s movement of settlers and construction of illegal outposts is destabilising the region.
The incident was swiftly reported by BBC’s Middle East Correspondent Lucy Williamson, who noted the international community’s increasing alarm over the escalating cycle of attacks.
*Exact numbers of damaged trees are subject to confirmation, but media footage shows a significant loss of olive trees in the field.
