Israeli settlers attack American journalist and Palestinians during olive harvest in West Bank

On October 16, 80 masked Israeli settlers armed with gas canisters and clubs attacked Palestinians during their annual olive harvest in Abu Falah, a village northeast of Ramallah in the occupied West Bank. The attack injured at least two people, including an American journalist named Heidi Levine from the Washington Post who was hospitalized after being assaulted by the settlers. Settlers burned several olive trees and threw rocks while Palestinians responded with stones to defend themselves. Despite the arrival of Israeli military jeeps, which fired tear gas towards Palestinians, the attack continued. This incident is part of a surge in settler violence against Palestinians this year, particularly ahead of Israel’s upcoming October 27 election, where the current far-right government faces either defeat or re-election but has been accused of emboldening settlers to commit such attacks. Rights groups criticize Israeli authorities for failing to prevent these incidents and sometimes aiding settlers instead of protecting Palestinians.