Settler attacks on journalists spark criticism of Netanyahu ahead of election

On the eve of Israel’s election, a series of settler-led attacks in the occupied West Bank have become a flashpoint for Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. Settlers ambushed US photographer Heidi Levine, who remains hospitalized, and a European delegation that included France’s top Jerusalem official during an olive-harvest visit to villages east of Ramallah. Opposition leaders Gadi Eisenkot, Yair Golan and Naftali Bennett all described the assaults as “Jewish terrorism,” a term the government typically rejects when used by outsiders.

Netanyahu’s office accused the coverage of a coordinated smear effort and highlighted the left-leaning politics of a beaten French mayor. Analysts say the violence, while unlikely to shift the overall vote, underscores concerns about security and governance and could damage Netanyahu’s image as he relies on far-right settler allies. Experts note that despite broad public opposition to settler violence, the issue may not alter the settlement policy debate.