US Ambassador to Israel Calls West Bank Settler Attack on American Photojournalist ‘Terror’
Mike Huckabee calls for arrest and prosecution of those responsible as Heidi Levine, 63, recovers in hospital in Israel
TL;DR
- US Ambassador Mike Huckabee described the attack on photojournalist Heidi Levine by Israeli settlers as a 'despicable act of terror' and called for the perpetrators' arrest and prosecution.
- Heidi Levine, a 63-year-old award-winning journalist, was beaten for over 10 minutes by masked settlers, sustaining broken ribs and requiring hand surgery, while her camera, passport, and phone were stolen.
- The attack occurred during an olive harvest in occupied West Bank towns, where Palestinian people were also targeted.
- Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's response was notably ambiguous, referring to the attack as 'alleged,' which Levine found insulting.
- The incident follows another settler attack targeting European diplomats, including a French mayor and an archbishop, during the same olive harvest season.
- France and the EU have condemned the violence and called for accountability and measures to prevent future acts of harassment against Palestinians and journalists.
- Statistics from the Israeli rights group Yesh Din indicate a very low rate of indictment and conviction for settler violence.