West Bank Attack: Israeli Settlers Injure Journalist, Burn Olive Trees

Israeli settlers attacked Palestinian farmers harvesting olives in the occupied West Bank on Friday, setting trees on fire and throwing stones at villagers in an assault that left at least two people injured, including a photojournalist working for The Washington Post.

Around 80 settlers, dressed in black with their faces masked, descended on a terraced olive grove near Abu Falah, where residents had gathered for the annual harvest. Some carried gas canisters, while others used slings to hurl stones at the villagers, according to eyewitness accounts cited by Reuters.

The attack comes amid a rise in settler violence during the olive harvest, an important annual tradition for Palestinians. Israeli monitoring group Yesh Din has recorded at least 170 attacks since September 27, around the beginning of the harvest season, Reuters reported.

"The settlers want to attack us and force us from our homes," said Moutaz Abdelhadi, a 42-year-old farmer who witnessed the attack in Abu Falah.

The settlers positioned themselves in front of rows of olive trees and threw stones at the villagers, who moved towards the bottom of the hill before throwing stones back in an attempt to defend themselves.

At least two Israeli military jeeps then drove through the area at speed, raising dust as villagers moved out of their way. The violence continued after the military arrived, with Israeli soldiers firing tear gas towards Palestinians who had moved away from the jeeps.

Gunfire was also heard in the area, and a Reuters photographer saw at least one armed settler fire a gun.

Palestinian medics said two people were injured and taken to hospitals in the Ramallah area, according to Reuters. One of them was Heidi Levine, a photojournalist with The Washington Post. Neither the newspaper nor the Israeli military immediately responded to requests for comment, Reuters reported.

Settler Violence Surges During Olive Harvest

The attack in Abu Falah was one of two incidents reported on Friday involving Palestinian olive harvesters in the West Bank.

Near Turmus Ayya village, settlers attacked a group of farmers collecting olives and set three cars on fire, according to Reuters. Salah Abu Niswa, who witnessed the incident, described how the attackers targeted a farmer who was alone.

"Snuck up like thieves, they caught someone by himself and began to beat him," he said.

The Israeli military did not immediately respond to a request for comment on the Turmus Ayya incident.

Settler attacks against Palestinians have increased across the occupied West Bank during the annual olive harvest. Yesh Din, an Israeli organisation that monitors settlements, reported at least 170 attacks since September 27, according to Reuters.

Israeli settlers have been emboldened by Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's right-wing government, which has overseen a rapid expansion of settlements and smaller outposts across the West Bank, Reuters reported. Netanyahu has criticised settler violence but has taken few steps to crack down on the incidents, which have drawn international condemnation and prompted plans for sanctions by longtime Israeli allies, including Britain.

The West Bank is home to around 500,000 Israeli settlers and at least three million Palestinians. United Nations bodies and most countries consider Israeli settlements in the territory illegal under international law governing military occupation. Israel rejects this position, arguing that the territory is disputed rather than occupied.