Israeli police arrested 10 people Monday as part of an investigation into violence that included the beating of Washington Post photographer Heidi Levine while she was reporting in the occupied West Bank.
The arrests follow an attack that left Levine, a longtime photojournalist, with serious injuries and prompted calls from the Washington Post and U.S. officials for accountability. Police did not identify the suspects or say which, if any, were directly involved in Levine’s assault, according to the Washington Post.
Levine was attacked Friday while covering a Palestinian olive harvest near the West Bank village of Abu Falah. Witnesses said masked Israeli settlers knocked her to the ground, repeatedly kicked her and beat her with sticks despite her wearing protective gear clearly identifying her as press.
She suffered broken ribs and vertebrae and underwent surgery on a badly injured finger. Washington Post executive editor Matt Murray condemned the assault and called for a thorough investigation.
Levine has spent decades covering conflicts across the Middle East and elsewhere, including the wars in Iraq, Afghanistan and Ukraine.
U.S. Ambassador to Israel Mike Huckabee called the attack a “despicable act of terror” and said those responsible “should spend YRS in prison.” He said the U.S. had called for a full investigation, arrests and prosecution.
Monday’s arrests were part of a wider investigation into violence over the weekend that also included an attack on European diplomats near the Palestinian Christian village of Taybeh. Israeli police said the operation involved the military, Border Police and Shin Bet.
The suspects were taken in for questioning. Police have not announced charges or publicly detailed what role each suspect is believed to have played in the attacks.
The arrests come three days after Levine’s beating drew attention to the risks facing journalists covering unrest in the West Bank and renewed calls for Israeli authorities to identify and prosecute those responsible.
