The United States has condemned alleged attacks by Israeli settlers on a US journalist in the West Bank, as tensions mounted after a separate incident involving the reported assault of a European diplomat.
Mike Huckabee, the US ambassador to Israel, denounced the attackers as “masked cowards” after 63-year-old Washington Post photographer Heidi Levine suffered a fractured vertebra in what he described as a “despicable act of terror.”
The award-winning photojournalist was working alongside a group of Palestinians in the village of Abu Falah when she was seriously injured on Friday. US Secretary of State Marco Rubio said he was “disturbed” by the reports emerging from the West Bank.
The developments followed another alleged attack on Saturday, when Bernard Baudoux, the left-wing mayor of Aulnoye-Aymeries in northern France, said settlers knocked him to the ground and struck him with iron bars. He was travelling with French, Belgian and Polish representatives visiting a Palestinian Christian village.
“If settlers are behaving like this, there is a tolerance on the part of the Israeli government,” the 78-year-old mayor said.
Ms Levine said the attackers forced her down and beat her for more than 10 minutes before taking her camera, passport and mobile phone.
She was still being treated at a Tel Aviv hospital on Sunday, recovering from surgery on her hand, broken ribs and several other injuries.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu condemned “violence against anyone” but used more cautious language when referring directly to the incident, calling it “alleged.”
Washington Post photographer Heidi Levine, 63, was seriously injured in an alleged attack by Israeli settlers in the West Bank on Friday while accompanying a group of Palestinians
The award-winning photojournalist said she was held down and beaten for more than 10 minutes, with her camera, passport and phone taken during the alleged assault
Mr Huckabee said Ms Levine was visibly identifiable as a journalist at the time. She has said that the body armour she was wearing may have saved her life.
Washington Post owner and technology billionaire Jeff Bezos has been informed of the attack. Ms Levine’s son said Bezos wanted to speak with her and “would do everything to see justice served in this case.”
The European Union also condemned the alleged violence involving a diplomatic convoy that had been monitoring the annual olive harvest and the conditions faced by Palestinians.
“We urge Israel to fully abide by International Humanitarian and Human Rights Law,” the EU said.
The bloc’s foreign policy spokesman welcomed statements from several Israeli representatives condemning the incidents, but called for full accountability and effective steps to prevent further violence and harassment against Palestinians, journalists and others during the olive harvest.
Mr Baudoux said he was particularly shocked by what he called the “gratuitous nature” of the violence. He claimed the settlers arrived “completely enraged” and began shouting defamatory insults.
Belgian officials said a window in a vehicle belonging to their consulate was smashed. Video shared online appeared to show settlers stopping the convoy to demand identification, while others followed the vehicles on quad bikes.
Belgian Foreign Minister Maxime Prévot said: “As the occupying power, Israeli authorities must protect Palestinians, ensure the safety of diplomats and journalists, and bring those responsible to justice.
“Impunity for violent settlers must end. Palestinians face this violence every day.
“Settlers also target journalists reporting on it and diplomats. Harvesting olives, reporting the news or carrying out diplomatic duties should never put anyone at risk of attack.”
Mr Netanyahu said the ‘allegations’ were part of a ‘smear campaign’ and claimed that the convoy had entered a ‘sensitive area’ of without fully informing the Israeli army.
Israeli police would conduct a full investigation, his office confirmed, after insisting that the footage does ‘not establish the complete sequence of events or individual responsibility’.
According to Yesh Din, an Israeli settlement-monitoring group, there has been a surge of attacks by settlers against Palestinians, with 170 incidents recorded by the group since September 27 – when the annual olive harvest typically begins.
Earlier on Sunday, Donald Trump gave his support to longtime ally Mr Netanyahu ahead of the Israeli elections on October 27th, as he fights to maintain his grip on power.
