Israeli settlers burn olive trees, stone West Bank harvesters; journalist injured

A group of Israeli settlers set fire to olive trees in the occupied West Bank during the olive harvest. Both the BBC and Reuters reported the incident.

The settlers threw stones or rocks at Palestinians who were harvesting olives. Both outlets said the attackers were dressed in black. A journalist was injured.

According to Reuters, the attack took place on Friday. It targeted a West Bank village's annual harvest. Reuters described the attack as coordinated and said the attackers' faces were masked. It reported that at least two people were injured, one of them a journalist.

The BBC said its journalists witnessed the attack. According to the BBC, the settlers charged down a hill near a settler outpost to a field where Palestinians and activists were harvesting olives. The BBC describes the outpost as illegal under international law. It reported that about a dozen olive trees were set on fire and that the stones were thrown with slingshots.

According to the BBC, the injured journalist is Washington Post photographer Heidi Levine. She was at the scene and was taken to hospital. The BBC said she told reporters at the hospital that she was attacked and kicked while on the ground. The BBC quoted her as saying she "got jumped".

Al Jazeera reported that settlers have set fire to Palestinians' trees and vehicles during this year's olive harvest. Its report does not clearly refer to this specific incident.

What is disputed

The number of settlers involved differs between reports. The BBC reported about a dozen settlers. Reuters reported dozens.

What each side says

• United Nations: According to the BBC, the UN said the past two weeks have seen more attacks by violent Israeli settlers than the entire harvest season last year. The UN also said settler violence this year has reached an all-time high, the BBC reported. The reports reviewed by Vocemundi do not include the UN's underlying figures or its original statement.
• Heidi Levine: According to the BBC, she said she was attacked and kicked while on the ground.

What the reports do not include

The reports reviewed by Vocemundi do not name the village or give the precise location or time of the attack. They do not include any response from the Israeli government, military or police, or say whether anyone was detained. They do not identify the settlers or include any statement from them or the outpost. They do not include statements from the Palestinian farmers, the activists present or Palestinian officials. They do not describe the number, identities or condition of all those injured, or the extent of Levine's injuries. They do not confirm whether the journalist Reuters mentions is Levine.

Analysis

The incident adds to reports of violence during the olive harvest, a season of economic importance for many Palestinian communities. The UN's description of record settler violence, as reported by the BBC, may increase international attention, although its underlying data is not included in the reports. Key open questions include whether Israeli authorities will investigate or detain anyone, and how they and the settlers involved will respond. The injury to a journalist may also raise concerns among press-freedom groups. Accounts from residents, officials and the settlers themselves would allow a fuller assessment of what happened and why.

Produced by the Vocemundi newsroom with AI assistance.