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Israel Police and Shin Bet Intensify Search for Jewish Attackers After Journalist Assault
Israeli police and the Shin Bet are investigating recent attacks by Jewish extremists against foreign nationals in Judea and Samaria, which occurred during the olive harvest. On Friday, Washington Post photojournalist Heidi Levine was beaten and kicked approximately 50 times near Abu Falah, sustaining serious injuries that required hospitalization. On Saturday, masked Israelis attacked participants in olive harvesting near Taybeh, damaging a Belgian diplomat's vehicle and intercepting a Polish diplomatic convoy, with diplomats from France and Belgium also targeted.
3 newsrooms · 3 languages · since
What happened
- 01Israeli police and the Shin Bet are investigating attacks by Jewish extremists against a US journalist and European diplomats in Judea and Samaria.
- 02Washington Post photojournalist Heidi Levine was hospitalized after being beaten and kicked approximately 50 times near Abu Falah on Friday.
- 03Masked Israelis attacked participants in olive harvesting near Taybeh on Saturday, damaging a Belgian diplomat's vehicle and intercepting a Polish convoy.
- 04No suspects have been arrested, and police claim that foreign diplomatic missions are hindering the investigation by not cooperating.
- 05Security officials criticized political support for extremists and noted that Jewish perpetrators face fewer military enforcement capabilities than Palestinian terrorists.
- 06The IDF stated that preventing all such flashpoints would require a significant increase in troops and a diversion of resources.
- 07The United States has expressed deep concern, with the US Ambassador demanding arrests and the Secretary of State requesting preventative measures.
No suspects have been arrested in connection with either incident. Police sources stated that the suspects had already fled by the time they were alerted, and noted that operations in Area B require IDF accompaniment, which hinders immediate intervention. Furthermore, police claimed that the involved diplomatic missions have not cooperated with investigators or provided testimonies, video recordings, or access to vehicles for forensic analysis.
Security officials expressed frustration over jurisdictional complexities, a lack of resources, and political support for extremist elements, noting that Jewish perpetrators are subject to stricter limitations than Palestinian terrorists. The IDF stated that preventing all such violence would require a significant increase in troops and a diversion of resources. Meanwhile, the United States has expressed deep concern, with the US Ambassador to Israel condemning the assault on Levine and demanding arrests, while the Israeli Prime Minister's office called for caution and strong evidence before drawing conclusions.
Summarized by baba from the reports of 3 newsrooms. Updated
Latest report: i24NEWS. Read i24NEWS’s originalThe coverage
3 newsrooms on this story
Who covered it
- LeftNone
- Centre2
- RightNone
- HarediNone
- Arab1
