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US-Israel diplomatic tensions over West Bank violence

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2026-10-17 23:43 UTC → 2026-10-19 09:21 UTC · added ~~removed~~

U.S. Ambassador to Israel Mike Huckabee has issued several statements regarding security and violence in the West Bank. In September, Huckabee characterized certain attacks by Israeli settlers—including arson and property seizures—as acts that “extend beyond a criminal act” into “an act of terror.” He called for Israeli authorities to ensure perpetrators face “severe consequences” and urged international media to provide “balanced reporting” following the killing of an Israeli father. By October, the Ambassador intensified his demands for legal action following a violent assault on Washington Post photographer Heidi Levine. Levine was hospitalized with broken vertebrae after being beaten for over ten minutes in the village of Abu Falah while covering the Palestinian olive harvest. During the attack, her equipment, passport, and personal belongings were stolen. Huckabee described the assault as a “despicable act of terror carried out by masked cowards,” demanding a full investigation and prosecution. While witnesses identified the attackers as settlers, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu suggested that Palestinians or “far-left” activists might be responsible. The U.S. State Department also condemned the criminal violence in the region, though it maintained a more cautious tone regarding the specific identity of the perpetrators. Following the assault, Israeli President Isaac Herzog expressed condemnation and offered apologies to Levine. Israeli police and the Shin Bet have since launched an investigation, resulting in the arrest of 10 suspects. The incident has drawn further international condemnation from officials in France, Belgium, and Poland.

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