Israeli settler Yinon Levi indicted for West Bank activist killing
Israeli prosecutors have filed an indictment against Jewish settler Yinon Levi, charging him with reckless manslaughter, armed trespassing and malicious property damage for the July 2025 shooting that killed prominent Palestinian activist Awdah (Owdeh) Hathaleen in the West Bank village of Umm al‑Khair. Video footage released by the Israeli rights group B’Tselem shows Levi drawing a weapon and firing toward the activist, who was filming the confrontation and was struck by the shot.
The case is notable for its rarity: it is the first indictment of a settler for a Palestinian death in nearly three years and the first such prosecution since the Oct. 7, 2023 Hamas attacks that sparked a surge in settler violence. Hathaleen, a teacher and father of three, was a well‑known voice against settler aggression and appeared in the Oscar‑winning documentary “No Other Land.” Levi, who has been sanctioned by the United Kingdom, the European Union and previously by the United States, now faces a legal process that could set a precedent for accountability.
B’Tselem notes that, since Oct. 7, Israeli soldiers and settlers have killed at least 1,100 Palestinians in the West Bank, including over 240 children, underscoring the broader context of ongoing violence.
Entities: Awdah Hathaleen · B’Tselem · Israeli State Attorney's Office · No Other Land · Umm al‑Khair · United States · West Bank · Yinon Levi
Claims
What the coverage asserts, and how well corroborated each claim is across sources.
- [● 9 SOURCES] Levi has been sanctioned by the United Kingdom, the European Union and previously by the United States for violence against Palestinians. (multiple sources)
- [● 9 SOURCES] B’Tselem reports that Israeli settlers and soldiers have killed at least 1,100 Palestinians in the West Bank since Oct 7, including over 240 children. (multiple sources)
- [● 9 SOURCES] Video footage released by B’Tselem shows Levi firing a weapon toward the activist, who was hit. (multiple sources)
- [● 9 SOURCES] The incident occurred in July 2025 in the West Bank village of Umm al‑Khair. (multiple sources)
- [● 9 SOURCES] Israeli prosecutors charged settler Yinon Levi with reckless manslaughter for killing Awdah Hathaleen. (multiple sources)
- [● 9 SOURCES] The indictment is the first against a settler for a Palestinian death in nearly three years and the first since the Oct 7 2023 Hamas attacks. (multiple sources)
- [● 9 SOURCES] Levi was also charged with armed trespassing and malicious property damage. (multiple sources)
- [● 9 SOURCES] Awdah Hathaleen was a prominent activist featured in the 2025 Oscar‑winning documentary “No Other Land”. (multiple sources)