Israeli Settlers Attack Palestinians and Washington Post Photographer in West Bank

Dozens of masked Israeli settlers attacked Palestinians picking olives in the occupied West Bank on Friday, injuring several people and beating a Washington Post photographer covering the harvest.

The photographer was identified as Heidi Levine, a veteran photojournalist working for the Post. The Washington Post She was wearing a protective vest clearly marked as "press" when she was assaulted. NPR Reports described her as a U.S. photojournalist who was beaten by masked settlers while documenting the annual olive harvest.

Witness accounts said the assailants were clad in black with their faces masked. The settlers threw rocks at Palestinians in the groves and burned olive trees during the attack. Reuters Palestinian medics said two people were injured and taken to hospitals in the Ramallah area.

Israeli officials promised to investigate the attack on Levine. The pledge was reported after news of the beating drew attention to the safety of journalists working in the West Bank.

The incident follows other recent confrontations involving journalists during the harvest season. Earlier in October, AFP photographer Jaafar Ashityeh, age 58, was attacked while reporting on settler violence around the olive harvest. Last year, near the village of Beita, settlers attacked residents, solidarity activists and Reuters photographer Raneen Sawafta.