Criminal10/19/2026

Operation “Olive Branch”: Ten Suspects Arrested Following Attacks

Israel Police arrested ten Jewish suspects on suspicion of involvement in violent acts in the Binyamin area, including the assault of photojournalist Heidi Levine and an alleged assault on foreign diplomats. The detainees were taken for questioning, but the source does not report that indictments were filed or judicial decisions issued.

Key facts

•10 suspects were arrested
•Operation: “Olive Branch”
•Date of arrests: October 19, 2026
•Area: Binyamin, Judea and Samaria
•Several vehicles were seized
•No indictments or judicial decisions were reported

What Happened

During the olive harvest season in the village of Abu Falah, dozens of masked Jews attacked Palestinians. Two people were injured, including Heidi Levine, a photojournalist for the American newspaper The Washington Post; she was taken to a hospital in Ramallah in moderate condition. The following day, near the Palestinian village of Taybeh, diplomats from France, Belgium, and Poland, as well as Israeli activists, were attacked, according to the source.

The Arrests and Investigation

Following these events, the police launched Operation “Olive Branch.” At dawn on October 19, 2026, ten suspects were arrested and taken for questioning by the Judea and Samaria District Central Unit and at police stations in the Samaria area. Police said that materials linking the suspects to the acts attributed to them were found in their possession, but at this stage it is unclear whether all those arrested are suspected of direct involvement in either of the two attacks.

Additional Measures

Several vehicles were seized in conjunction with the arrests. The police, Border Police, and Israel Defense Forces also took action concerning illegal construction, violations of military commander orders, and the unlawful entry into a Palestinian home. Among the grounds for arrest, police cited suspicion of involvement in violent acts, violation of a closed military zone order, and illegal construction.

The Case’s Legal Status

Police Commissioner Danny Levy stated that the law in Judea and Samaria is enforced against everyone, regardless of identity or affiliation, while explicitly distinguishing between preventing incidents and investigating them after they occur. The report does not include a criminal case number, the name of a court, or information about extensions of detention or indictments filed. An arrest is an investigative measure and does not in itself establish guilt.

What this means for you

The report shows that following alleged violent acts, police may carry out arrests, seize vehicles, and enforce military orders in parallel. It is important for a person in a similar situation to distinguish between arrest for investigative purposes, the filing of an indictment, and conviction in court: the source reports only the first stage. The final outcome of the investigation was not stated in the report.

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