Israeli settlers attack Palestinians in West Bank during olive harvest

Israeli settlers attack Palestinians in the West Bank during olive harvest

The full report

Israeli settlers have attacked Palestinians in the occupied West Bank, according to the BBC. The incident occurred during the olive harvest season, with the settlers setting fire to olive trees and hurling stones from slingshots.

The BBC witnessed the attack, which took place near an Israeli outpost that is considered illegal under international law. A dozen settlers, dressed in black, charged down a hill towards a field where Palestinians and activists were harvesting olives.

The attack resulted in the torching of about a dozen olive trees. Washington Post photographer Heidi Levine, who was at the scene, was taken to hospital after being kicked on the ground. She described the incident as being 'jumped'.

The United Nations has reported an increase in settler violence in the West Bank, with more attacks occurring in the past two weeks than during the entire harvest season last year. The UN states that this year's levels of settler violence have reached an all-time high.

The incident highlights the ongoing tensions between Israeli settlers and Palestinians in the West Bank. The BBC's Middle East Correspondent Lucy Williamson reported on the incident, providing further context and details.