International News / Middle East
At least 12 Palestinians and an American journalist have been injured after masked Israeli settlers attacked olive farmers and set fire to vehicles and trees near Abu Falah in the occupied West Bank.
At least 12 Palestinians, including four Palestinian-American citizens, and an American journalist have been injured after masked Israeli settlers attacked olive farmers during the annual harvest near Abu Falah in the occupied West Bank.
A BBC team witnessed the violence, during which settlers reportedly used sticks and other weapons to assault farmers and set fire to cars and olive trees. Local officials said several injured people required medical treatment.
Among those hurt was Heidi Levine, an American journalist working for The Washington Post. Levine said she was knocked to the ground and kicked repeatedly while reporting on the incident, despite wearing a helmet and protective vest.
The Washington Post condemned the attack, stating that Levine was clearly identifiable as a journalist and calling for a thorough investigation.
The Israeli military said its personnel had been dispatched following reports of a violent confrontation. It confirmed that a female journalist had been injured and said the circumstances of the incident would be examined.
The violence occurred as Palestinian farmers gathered to harvest olives in an area surrounded by Israeli settlements and outposts. Some farmers said they had joined together in large groups for protection after repeated attacks on people working alone in their fields.
According to the United Nations, settler attacks during this year's olive harvest have already killed one Palestinian and injured more than 120 others across the West Bank. The UN also reported that attacks during the first two weeks of the harvest had exceeded the total recorded throughout the previous year's harvest season.
The annual olive harvest is an important source of income for many Palestinian families, while access to farmland has become increasingly difficult amid reports of violence and intimidation.
A spokesperson for the US State Department condemned criminal violence by any party in the West Bank and called for investigations, arrests and convictions of those responsible.
The incident adds to growing concerns about the safety of Palestinian farmers and journalists covering violence in the occupied West Bank.
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