Criminal10/19/2026

Ten Suspects Arrested After Assaults on Photographer and Diplomats

The Israel Police and the Israel Security Agency arrested ten people in Operation “Olive Leaf” in the Binyamin area. The investigation concerns the assault on photographer Heidi Levine and the alleged assault on European diplomats.

Key facts

•Ten suspects were arrested
•Operation: “Olive Leaf”
•Area of operation: Binyamin
•Date of latest update: October 19, 2026
•No judicial decision or case number has yet been specified

What Happened

On Friday, Heidi Levine, a photographer for the American newspaper The Washington Post, was covering a Palestinian olive harvest near the village of Abu Falah, close to Ramallah. According to the source, masked settlers assaulted her: Levine sustained fractures to her ribs and vertebrae, as well as an injury to a finger that required surgery. She was evacuated to Beilinson Hospital.

The Incident Involving the Diplomats

The following day, according to reports, diplomats from France, Belgium and Poland who had arrived in the village of Taybeh in Binyamin together with other participants in the olive harvest were assaulted. The delegation’s vehicles were damaged, including a Belgian diplomatic vehicle. The United States and European countries condemned what happened and called on the Israeli authorities to bring those responsible to justice.

The Arrests and Investigation

The criminal investigation is being conducted by the Central Unit of the Israel Police’s Judea and Samaria District. The operation involved the police, the Israel Security Agency, Border Police officers and Israel Defense Forces troops, while the “Rakia” Air Unit provided aerial assistance. Ten suspects were arrested at several locations in the Binyamin area, vehicles were seized, and materials were found that police claim link the suspects to the acts attributed to them.

What the Detainees Are Suspected Of

The arrests were carried out on suspicion of involvement in violence, violating a closed military zone order and illegal construction. The detainees were transferred for questioning by the Central Unit and at police stations in the Samaria District. The decision on whether to bring them before a court will be made in accordance with the investigation’s findings; the source does not provide the detainees’ identities, the role of each one or the outcome of the proceedings.

What this means for you

The arrests mark the beginning of the investigative proceedings, not a finding of guilt. The police must collect evidence regarding each suspect separately, after which a decision will be made on whether to bring each one before a court and how to proceed. For residents of Judea and Samaria and visitors to the area, the announcement also shows that the police view violence and violations of orders applicable in a closed military zone as grounds for a criminal investigation, regardless of the participants’ identities or affiliations.

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