The United States has condemned an alleged attack by Israeli settlers on Washington Post photographer Heidi Levine in the West Bank, after the 63-year-old journalist suffered serious injuries.
Mike Huckabee, the US ambassador to Israel, described the assailants as “masked cowards” and called the incident “a despicable act of terror”.
Ms Levine said she was with a group of Palestinians in the village of Abu Falah on Friday when she was forced to the ground and beaten for more than ten minutes. Her camera, passport and phone were taken, she said.
She remained in hospital in Tel Aviv on Sunday after undergoing hand surgery. Her injuries also included broken ribs and other wounds.
Mr Huckabee said Ms Levine was clearly identified as a journalist when she was attacked. Israeli prime minister Benjamin Netanyahu condemned “violence against anyone”, but referred to the assault as “alleged”.
The European Union also criticised violence by settlers, urging Israel to “fully abide by International Humanitarian and Human Rights Law”.
The statement followed a separate incident on Sunday in which settlers allegedly attacked a convoy of diplomats during the annual olive harvest and assaulted a French mayor.
Bernard Baudoux, the 78-year-old mayor of Aulnoye-Aymeries, said masked settlers shouted defamatory comments before kicking him and hitting him with iron bars.
“If settlers are behaving like this, there is a tolerance on the part of the Israeli government,” he said.
