American photojournalist says settlers beat her in the occupied West Bank

Heidi Levine, a veteran photojournalist working for a US newspaper, was covering the olive harvest near Turmus Ayya and Khirbet Abu Falah on Friday. She was wearing a vest marked "Press".

"Suddenly I saw more than 50 masked men armed with sticks and iron bars, and then all at once they attacked me," Levine told reporters from a hospital in Ramallah.

— Heidi Levine, photojournalist

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's office says those responsible will be held to account, and describes a clash of about 40 young Israelis with some 200 Palestinians and activists, both sides throwing stones. Police have opened an investigation.

Background

A US State Department official condemned criminal violence by any party and offered consular support. Settler attacks increase during the olive harvest, and Reporters Without Borders denounces their impunity.