Washington is urging Israel to take tougher action to prevent settler violence in the West Bank, with US Secretary of State Marco Rubio saying the United States is alarmed by what it is seeing and wants a stronger response.
“We’re very disturbed by those images and what we’re seeing,” Mr Rubio said.
“We’ve asked the Israelis and continue to ask them to crack down on that stuff.”
Mr Rubio spoke to reporters after video circulated widely showing multiple individuals attacking Heidi Levine, an American photojournalist for the Washington Post.
Ms Levine was among at least two people hurt in the incident on Friday, which occurred as Israeli settlers attacked Palestinian civilians.
Marco Rubio was on his way to Uzbekistan when he made his comments
Belgium’s foreign minister said the violence also included attacks on European diplomats and a French mayor in the occupied West Bank.
Mr Rubio said the US State Department has sought information about the episode in which Ms Levine was assaulted.
Speaking before he boarded a flight to Uzbekistan, Mr Rubio said he expects an update from the US Embassy in Jerusalem by today.
Yesh Din, an Israeli group that monitors settlements, has recorded at least 170 attacks by Israeli settlers on Palestinians in the West Bank since 27 September, roughly coinciding with the start of the annual olive harvest.
‘A despicable act of terror’ – Huckabee
Separately, US Ambassador Mike Huckabee called on Israel to prosecute and imprison those responsible for the West Bank attack on Ms Levine.
“Attacking a female photographer is a despicable act of terror carried out by masked cowards,” Huckabee wrote on X, adopting a markedly sharper tone than an earlier statement from Washington.
US Ambassador Mike Huckabee described the attack on Heidi Levine as an ‘act of terror’
Mr Huckabee, a staunch ally of Israel who has nevertheless delivered blunt criticism of attacks on Americans linked to settlers, did not describe the suspects as settlers, after Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu sought to cast doubt on who carried out the assault.
“Details of who under investigation, but those who attacked unarmed reporter should spend (years) in prison,” Mr Huckabee said.
“We have called for a full investigation, arrest, and prosecution to the fullest extent of the law to whoever participated in this.”
The veteran photographer was taken to hospital with broken vertebrae.
Hospital staff listed her yesterday as being in moderate condition.
American photojournalist for The Washington Post Heidi Levine receiving medical treatment in hospital
Ms Levine had been reporting on Palestinians’ annual olive harvest, an event witnesses say has repeatedly been disrupted by Israeli settlers.
Witnesses said settlers beat her and took her passport, telephone, wallet and equipment.
Mr Netanyahu, who is seeking to shore up his pro-settlement right-wing base ahead of closely contested elections on October 27, said on Friday that Palestinians or “far-left” activists could have been responsible.
The US State Department struck a cautious note on Friday, saying it condemns “criminal violence by any party”.
