US urges Israel to intensify response to West Bank settler attacks, says Secretary of State Rubio

US calls for tougher Israeli measures U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio told reporters on 17 October that Washington is "very disturbed" by recent footage of settler assaults in the occupied West Bank and has repeatedly asked Israeli authorities to increase deterrence. Rubio made the remarks before boarding a flight to Uzbekistan and said he expects a response from the U.S. Embassy in Jerusalem within the following day.

Attack on American journalist and others The incident that prompted the comments involved Heidi Levine, a veteran photographer for the Washington Post, who was filmed being beaten by a group of individuals while covering the annual olive harvest. Levine suffered a broken vertebra, was taken to hospital in moderate condition, and had her passport, phone, wallet and equipment taken, according to witnesses. At least one other person was injured in the same attack. European diplomats, including a French mayor, were also reported to have been assaulted, a development noted by Belgium’s foreign minister.

US diplomatic pressure on Israel In addition to Rubio’s statements, U.S. Ambassador to Israel Mike Huckabee posted on social media that the assailants should face prison terms and called for a full investigation, arrest and prosecution. Huckabee refrained from labeling the perpetrators as settlers after Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu suggested uncertainty over their identity. Netanyahu is reportedly seeking to consolidate his pro‑settlement right‑wing base ahead of the closely contested election scheduled for 27 October.

Scale of settler‑related violence Monitoring organisation Yesh Din, which tracks settlement activity, recorded at least 170 attacks by Israeli settlers on Palestinians since 27 September, coinciding with the start of the olive‑harvest season. The United States State Department has formally inquired about the October 16 attack on Levine and the broader pattern of violence, signalling heightened diplomatic attention to the issue.

Israeli response pending Rubio indicated that he will receive further details from the U.S. embassy in Jerusalem, but as of the time of reporting no official Israeli statement on prosecutions or investigations had been released. The situation underscores ongoing tensions over settler activity in the West Bank and the international community’s calls for accountability.