Washington Post Photographer Severely Beaten by Masked Settlers in the West Bank

An American Washington Post photographer was severely beaten by Israeli settlers in the West Bank on Friday.

Heidi Levine says she was kicked “probably 50 times” and suffered several broken vertebrae. The attack took place during the olive harvest.

Masked settlers also attacked Palestinians, and the Associated Press reports that a group of European diplomats were struck by metal bars on Saturday. Four people have been killed and over 100 have been injured since the olive harvest began earlier this month, including a Palestinian AFP photographer.

The attack on Levine, an experienced professional photojournalist who has covered conflict across the Middle East, was captured in a shocking video. She was separated from other journalists and surrounded by masked settlers who threw her to the floor and kicked her.

Levine was wearing a flak jacket clearly marked “press.” Her fellow journalists eventually caught up to her and helped her. “Oh my God!,” she says in the video. “They took everything. They took all my stuff!”

Masked Israeli settlers attacked Palestinian villagers on Friday, setting olive groves on fire and slinging rocks.

Caught in the attack was Post photographer Heidi Levine. “They just kept kicking me and kicking me, like probably 50 times,” Levine said. https://t.co/9YLUuU9ktP https://t.co/0SrFcIW4as

— The Washington Post (@washingtonpost) October 16, 2026

Levine is now recovering at a hospital in Tel Aviv for multiple lacerations, a broken rib, and broken vertebrae. The Washington Post reports that she will require surgery on a finger broken so badly that the bone was exposed.

“This morning, a Washington Post photographer, Heidi Levine, was attacked by Israeli settlers while reporting in the West Bank,” executive editor of WaPo, Matt Murray, said in a statement on Friday.

“She was wearing visible markings clearly identifying her as a journalist. While we are relieved that Heidi has received medical care and is safe, we are outraged by this unwarranted attack on a journalist doing her job and urge a thorough investigation and follow-through from authorities.”

U.S. Ambassador to Israel Mike Huckabee called the attack on Levine a “despicable act of terror carried out by masked cowards,” saying they should face jail time.

Levine says that Israeli President Isac Herzog called her to say he’s “ashamed” about what happened and called the attackers “thugs” and a “stain on Israeli society.”

She has not heard from Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.

Levine tells AP that her protective vest, helmet, as well as her camera bag likely protected her from more serious injury.

Despite the incident, the Jerusalem-based photographer intends to return to work.

“I’ve invested decades of blood, sweat and tears into this,” she adds. “They cracked my bones, they haven’t cracked my spirit.”

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Image creditsHeader photo licensed via Depositphotos.