Amnesty says Palestinians face 'season of horror' in West Bank

RAMALLAH — Amnesty International has said Israeli settlers are turning the West Bank olive harvest into "a season of horror" for Palestinians, according to The New Arab, which reported the statement on 20 October 2026.

The rights group said a series of attacks had targeted European diplomats, an American journalist and farmers picking their crops. It called on states to act against the settlers. Amnesty said the attacks "offer a glimpse into a reality of relentless aggression against Palestinians."

Washington Post photojournalist Heidi Levine was injured in a recent attack. According to the report, she suffered broken ribs and hand injuries that required surgery. US Ambassador to Israel Mike Huckabee called the attack a "despicable act of terror" in a post on X, the report said.

The report said Israeli police arrested 10 settlers on Monday following attacks on Levine, European diplomats and Palestinians harvesting olives. It said police rarely prosecute settlers accused of violent acts, and that Israeli armed forces often facilitate settler attacks.

According to The New Arab, the UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) recorded more than 1,600 settler attacks across 275 Palestinian communities by mid-September 2026. The report said attacks were occurring at an average of 6.7 a day, up from five a day in 2025.

The report did not say whether the arrests would lead to charges. It did not give a response from the Israeli government.

Background

Israeli human rights group Yesh Din found that 3% of police investigation files it monitored on ideologically motivated offences by Israelis against Palestinians, between 2005 and 2025, led to full or partial convictions, according to The New Arab.

Amnesty said in a press release that settler attacks "are not isolated acts, but a central policy of the Israeli state." It called on states to halt trade that contributes to Israeli violations, according to the report.