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US Ambassador Huckabee Urges Israel to Prosecute Attackers of American Photographer
Confirmed
In Short: US Ambassador Mike Huckabee on Saturday called for the prosecution of those responsible for a violent attack on a Washington Post photographer in the occupied West Bank.
US Ambassador Mike Huckabee on Saturday called for the prosecution of those responsible for a violent attack on a Washington Post photographer in the occupied West Bank, describing the incident as an 'act of terror.'
Heidi Levine, a prominent photographer, was attacked by masked individuals armed with bottles and slingshots while documenting Palestinian farmers during their annual olive harvest. Levine suffered severe injuries, including a nearly detached finger, a broken rib, and multiple broken vertebrae.
Levine was kicked for about 10 minutes as she tried to protect her cameras and bag. Independent journalist Jasper Nathaniel, who witnessed the attack, said Levine was in 'very, very bad shape' and could not get up off the ground.
Huckabee, a staunch ally of Israel, met Palestinian-Americans in Turmus Aya in September to hear their testimonies about experiences with settler violence. During his visit, he condemned the behavior of settlers as an 'act of terror,' extending beyond criminal acts.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, seeking to shore up his pro-settlement right-wing base ahead of October 27 elections, suggested that Palestinians or 'far-left' activists may have been responsible for the attack. However, Huckabee did not explicitly name the culprits.
The US State Department on Friday condemned 'criminal violence by any party,' taking a cautious stance on Levine's beating. Meanwhile, Netanyahu's main rival, Gadi Eisenkot, called the attack 'Jewish terror,' the same term Levine used.
During talks with Israeli President Isaac Herzog, Chinese Foreign Minister Wang urged Israel to halt and reverse its forced settlement expansion in the occupied West Bank.
Huckabee's condemnation of settler violence is consistent with his previous statements, including after settlers attacked a home owned by an American citizen in Qusra last month.
Settler violence in the West Bank has surged since Hamas' October offensive, with incidents such as the burning of a mosque and vandalism in the village of Bazariya.
Huckabee's visit to Turmus Ayya highlighted US concern over settler attacks, as he heard directly from Palestinian American residents affected by the violence.
What's confirmed
- “Attacking a female photographer is a despicable act of terror carried out by masked cowards,” Huckabee wrote on X on Saturday.
- Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, who wants to shore up his pro-settlement right-wing base ahead of closely fought October 27 elections, claimed on Friday that Palestinians or “far-left” activists may have been responsible for the attack on Levine and other Palestinians.
- “Those who attacked unarmed reporter should spend YRS in prison,” he added.
- Mike Huckabee on Saturday met Palestinian American residents who described the impact of the violence on their lives and properties The United States ambassador to Israel condemned Israeli settler violence in the occupied West Bank again on Saturday, calling the behaviour an “act of terror” as he visited Palestinian American residents shaken by months of attacks.
What's still developing
- The American photojournalist underwent surgery on her finger, which was nearly detached from her hand, and was left with a broken rib and multiple broken vertebrae, as well as lacerations, her daughter told The Associated Press news agency.
- "I've been covering this region for over 40 years, and I have never seen this country in such a state as it is today," Levine said, adding that she was "shocked and insulted" that Netanyahu referred to the attack on her and others as an alleged one.
- “If there are squatters that come in and put up their own flags and take possession of something that does not belong to them, if they burn a car, if they torch a mosque, if they go into someone’s home and vandalize it, paint graffiti on the walls, that’s a criminal act. But it extends beyond a criminal act. It’s an act of terror,” Huckabee said during a visit to the village of Turmus Ayya, where residents have reported frequent settler attacks over the past year.
- “We can tell our host government there are needs that need to be addressed, there are issues that cannot go unnoticed, and specific crimes and acts of terror that cannot continue without that country doing the investigation and adjudication that every person has a right to expect,” he said.
- Decent law-abiding Israelis living in Judea/Samaria are also disgusted by behavior of the few who violate civil law & Torah by violence & lawlessness. pic.twitter.com/fn7qqT6jN9 Days after Huckabee first spoke out, residents of the West Bank village of Bazariya said Israeli settlers set fire to a mosque and spray-painted a message on a wall reading, “Huckabee regards from the terrorists,” in Hebrew.
- "I'm very aware that a lot of the American people who live in Turmus Ayya and other communities across this region are not enjoying the life they deserve to live, not enjoying it in a peaceful way," he said.