Israeli settlers attack Palestinians, journalist, and French official in West Bank

On October 16, 2026, approximately 80 masked Israeli settlers attacked Palestinian farmers during their annual olive harvest in the village of Abu Falah in the occupied West Bank. The attackers burned olive trees and used slings to throw stones, injuring at least two people. During the assault, Washington Post photojournalist Heidi Levine was violently beaten while clearly marked as media personnel. Levine, who was hospitalized with fractures to four vertebrae and a rib, reported being repeatedly kicked by attackers. Israeli military jeeps appeared at the scene, with soldiers firing tear gas toward the Palestinian villagers.

On October 17, 2026, a separate convoy of European diplomats was attacked by settlers in the West Bank. During this incident, 78-year-old French mayor Bernard Bodut was beaten, as captured in video footage. The Israeli Defense Forces (IDF) issued a statement on X condemning the assault on the diplomatic convoy. The Washington Post has demanded a thorough investigation into the attack on Levine, as international concern grows regarding the safety of journalists and officials in the conflict-affected region.