Activists Accuse Israeli Settlers of Assault in Occupied West Bank Village
A Russian activist says she and two colleagues were beaten and robbed by armed settlers in Umm al-Khair, following a similar attack on a Washington Post photojournalist earlier this month.
By Marta Price ·
Russian activist Adele Shoko has accused Israeli settlers of attacking her and two colleagues in the Palestinian village of Umm al-Khair, in the Masafer Yatta area of the occupied West Bank. The account comes from her posts on social media.
Writing on the platform X, Shoko said she, US journalist Jasper Nathaniel and Israeli-Russian activist Andrey X were beaten and threatened by armed settlers. She said the attackers also stole equipment and personal items.
"Jasper and I were also beaten. Jasper was then pepper-sprayed and arrested," Shoko wrote. She added that Israeli forces took Nathaniel away.
According to Shoko, Andrey X suffered a concussion and lost consciousness several times during the incident before authorities detained him. She said this happened in front of police. "Despite this, he was denied hospital treatment," she wrote, adding that he was placed in an ambulance but driven to a police station instead of a hospital. She said he remained there, under arrest and without medical care.
Video that Shoko posted online showed several men, some of them armed, beating Nathaniel and Andrey X. A separate clip showed Israeli authorities leading Nathaniel away while he shouted that he had just been beaten.
The reported assault follows an incident on October 16 in Abu Falah, northeast of Ramallah. Masked Israeli settlers attacked Palestinian farmers who were harvesting olives, set trees on fire and threw stones with slingshots.
Washington Post photojournalist Heidi Levine, who was covering that attack, was beaten, robbed and taken to hospital. A Palestinian man was also shot in the leg after Israeli soldiers arrived at the scene and fired live ammunition and tear gas.
Levine, who was wearing a protective vest marked "PRESS", said settlers repeatedly kicked and beat her while she was on the ground. She said they then stole her passport, phone and camera equipment.
Washington Post Executive Editor Matt Murray condemned what he called an "unwarranted attack on a journalist doing her job." Several US lawmakers called for an investigation and for an end to settler violence in the region.
Source: Al Jazeera
