Israeli settlers attack Palestinians in West Bank during olive harvest

What the report says

BBC World News reported that Israeli settlers attacked Palestinian farmers and activists in the occupied West Bank during the olive harvest, in an incident the broadcaster said it witnessed. According to the report, around a dozen settlers in black clothing came down from an outpost and moved toward a field where harvesting was taking place. The scene was described as involving stone-throwing and fires set to olive trees, with about a dozen trees burned.

The report also said Washington Post photographer Heidi Levine was injured and taken to hospital after being caught up in the violence. She later told reporters she was attacked and kicked while on the ground. The BBC identified the location broadly as the West Bank and noted that the outpost nearby was considered illegal under international law.

The episode comes amid heightened tensions during the annual olive harvest, when Palestinian farmers often work in vulnerable areas near settlements and military zones. The United Nations has recently said settler violence has risen sharply, with the past two weeks bringing more attacks than the entire harvest season last year, and overall levels reaching what it called an all-time high. The BBC’s report highlights how such incidents can disrupt farming, damage livelihoods, and further strain already volatile relations in the West Bank.