▲ Washington Post photojournalist Heidi Levine, who was attacked by Israeli settlers
Following successive attacks by Israeli settlers against an American photojournalist and a group of European diplomats in the West Bank, U.S. Ambassador to Israel Mike Huckabee condemned the incidents as "despicable acts of terror" and called for a thorough investigation.
Addressing the news that Washington Post photojournalist Heidi Levine, 64, was seriously injured in an attack by Israeli settlers the previous day, Ambassador Huckabee denounced the incident on the local date of October 17, stating, "Attacking a female photojournalist is a despicable act of terror committed by masked cowards."
He noted that Levine was attacked despite her clear identity as a U.S. citizen and a journalist.
"Those who attacked an unarmed journalist should spend years in prison," he said, adding, "I urge a thorough investigation, arrests, and maximum prosecution under the law."
Ambassador Huckabee has historically supported the construction of Jewish settlements within the West Bank.
U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio also spoke with reporters on the night of October 17 at Joint Base Andrews near Washington, D.C., before departing for Uzbekistan, stating that he felt "very disturbed" by the news of the assault on a journalist in the West Bank.
He added, "The President (Donald Trump) has made it very clear on multiple occasions that he does not want to see friction or crises erupting in the West Bank."
According to reports by The Washington Post, Levine, a photojournalist for the newspaper, was attacked by masked Israeli settlers on October 16 while wearing a vest marked "PRESS" in the West Bank.
The newspaper reported that Levine was kicked while lying on the ground, suffering severe injuries including a fractured rib, four fractured vertebrae, and a finger bone exposed to the extent that it was visible, and was subsequently taken to a hospital for treatment.
A day later on October 17, vehicles carrying diplomats from France, Belgium, and Poland who were visiting the West Bank village of Taybeh for the olive harvest season were also attacked by individuals presumed to be Jewish settlers.
Israeli President Isaac Herzog stated on the evening of October 17 that he spoke directly with Levine, saying, "I strongly condemn this outrageous and shocking phenomenon of violence, as seen in the horrific attack you endured and other grave incidents such as what occurred in Taybeh today."
He added, "The despicable behavior of these criminals does not represent Israeli citizens or Israeli values."
Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu also stated in an interview with i24NEWS, "We will not tolerate certain groups defying the law and taking matters into their own hands," adding, "We have deployed the Shin Bet, Israel's domestic intelligence agency, to the scene."
At the same time, he remarked, "We hear reports of events happening multiple times, but often find out later that they do not precisely match the initial accounts."
(Photo: Yonhap News)
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