U.S. Ambassador Huckabee Condemns Settler Beating of Washington Post Photographer
Heidi Levine, an American photojournalist wearing a vest marked 'PRESS,' was beaten for more than 10 minutes in a West Bank olive grove; Israel's police and military have opened investigations.
The U.S. ambassador to Israel condemned a settler attack in the West Bank during the olive harvest in which an American journalist was beaten. In a social media post Saturday, Ambassador Mike Huckabee called the attack on Washington Post photojournalist Heidi Levine "vicious & cowardly," noting that she is an American citizen and had identified herself as a journalist.
Several Palestinians were also injured in Friday's attack. "Those who attacked unarmed reporter should spend YRS (years) in prison," Huckabee wrote, adding that he had called for a "full investigation, arrest and prosecution" of the assailants. "Attacking a female photographer is despicable act of terror carried out by masked cowards," he said.
Video of the incident obtained by CBS News shows a group of about 20 masked men dressed in black or gray coming down a hill from the area of an Israeli settlement outpost into an olive grove near the Palestinian village of Abu Falah. Video shared by the Israel-based Foreign Press Association shows Levine surrounded by masked men, pushed to the ground and beaten, with her camera equipment taken from her.
The Washington Post confirmed the attack in a statement Friday, saying Levine "was knocked to the ground, repeatedly kicked and robbed of her cameras and phone despite wearing a protective vest marked 'PRESS' and a helmet."
Levine is an award-winning photojournalist who has covered conflict zones around the world for more than four decades. She remains hospitalized in Tel Aviv, recovering from hand surgery, broken ribs and other injuries. She said the settlers forced her to the ground and beat her for more than 10 minutes, and that they also stole her passport.
Israel's police and military said they had opened investigations into the incident. Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu condemned "violence against anyone," but referred to the attack as "alleged" and said its circumstances remain unclear.
The attack follows other recent incidents in the West Bank involving settlers and foreign nationals. This week European diplomats said Israeli settlers beat them in the village of Taybeh. Huckabee's public call for arrests and prosecution is a notable statement from an envoy of an administration that has been closely aligned with Israel's government, and it puts pressure on Israeli authorities to show results from the investigations they have opened.
The gap between the two statements is plain. Huckabee described a "vicious & cowardly" assault by "masked cowards" and demanded prosecutions, while Netanyahu condemned violence in general terms and called the attack "alleged," saying its circumstances remain unclear. The video obtained by CBS News and the Washington Post statement describe a beating of an identifiable, vest-wearing journalist, and Levine has said it lasted more than 10 minutes.
