In brief
Russian activist Adele Shoko, U.S. journalist Jasper Nathaniel and Israeli‑Russian activist Andrey X claim they were assaulted by armed Israeli settlers in Umm al‑Khair, West Bank. Video footage shows the attackers striking Nathaniel and X, while Shoko reports that Nathaniel was later seized by Israeli forces. The attack echoes a preceding assault on Palestinian farmers in Abu Falah, which saw Washington Post journalist Heidi Levine robbed and a Palestinian man shot.
In the village of Umm al‑Khair, located in the Masafer Yatta area of the occupied West Bank, Russian activist Adele Shoko, U.S. journalist Jasper Nathaniel and Israeli‑Russian activist Andrey X said they were attacked by armed Israeli settlers on 29 October 2026. Shoko posted the incident on social media platform X, where she described being beaten, threatened and having her personal equipment confiscated. Nathaniel, who was pepper‑sprayed, was later taken away by Israeli forces, while X suffered a concussion and repeated loss of consciousness during the assault before being detained by authorities.
Jasper and I were also beaten. Jasper was then pepper‑sprayed and arrested.
The assault was caught on video, which showed several men—some visibly armed—striking Nathaniel and X. Shoko’s footage also records Israeli authorities pulling Nathaniel away, shouting that he had just been beaten. She said that X was “severely beaten and lost consciousness several times in front of police. Despite this, he was denied hospital treatment. He is put in an ambulance – but instead of being taken to hospital, he was taken to a police station. He is still there, arrested and being denied medical care.”
Earlier Violence in Abu Falah
The assault in Umm al‑Khair follows an earlier incident that occurred on 16 October in Abu Falah, northeast of Ramallah. Masked Israeli settlers attacked Palestinian farmers harvesting olives, setting trees on fire and throwing stones with slingshots. Washington Post photojournalist Heidi Levine, who was covering the attack, was beaten, robbed and hospitalized. She was wearing a protective vest marked “PRESS” when settlers repeatedly kicked and struck her on the ground before stealing her passport, phone and camera equipment. A Palestinian man was also shot in the leg by Israeli soldiers who arrived on scene and fired live ammunition and tear gas.
Washington Post Executive Editor Matt Murray called the assault an “unwarranted attack on a journalist doing her job,” and several U.S. lawmakers have urged an investigation and an end to settler violence in the region. The incidents highlight a pattern of confrontations between Israeli settlers and Palestinian communities in the West Bank, with activists reporting physical attacks, theft, and interference with journalistic activities.
Shoko’s account adds to a growing body of evidence that settler militias are using force against both indigenous indigenous populations and journalists who document their lives. The repeated cycles of violence underscore the daily challenges faced by communities living under occupation, emphasizing the need for protections that respect their rights and safety.
