Press photographer was covering olive harvest in West Bank. Then armed Israeli settlers beat him with rifles as soldiers watched

Jaafar Ashtiyeh, a 58-year-old veteran photographer for Agence France-Presse, was hospitalized after being beaten by armed Israeli settlers while covering the olive harvest in the occupied West Bank, as reported by The Guardian.

The attack occurred near the northern village of Aqraba as Ashtiyeh and his colleague, John Wessels, documented farmers working on their land. This incident is part of a growing trend of violence during the harvest season, which serves as a crucial economic lifeline for the Palestinian community.

The situation escalated when a quad bike approached the journalists on a hill. A man riding the vehicle opened fire, striking a Palestinian man in the foot. According to the Palestine Red Crescent Society, the victim required hospitalization for the gunshot wound. Shortly after, at least six other individuals arrived on the scene with firearms. When Ashtiyeh tried to enter a vehicle clearly marked with Press signage, two men jumped on him and repeatedly struck him with the butts of their rifles.

Wessels reported that a group of at least a dozen Israeli soldiers was positioned about 500 metres away during the assault

These soldiers did not intervene as the violence unfolded. Wessels, who was also threatened at gunpoint during the confrontation, described the scene, stating, “I could hear his screams.” The attackers also seized Ashtiyeh’s camera equipment before leaving the area. Wessels noted that the person who initially opened fire was dressed in a long white shirt paired with military fatigue trousers and boots, gear often seen on soldiers.

Ashtiyeh is currently receiving treatment at a hospital in Nablus. His son, Zain Jaafar, confirmed that while X-rays did not show any broken bones, his father remains under observation around-the-clock due to the severity of the bruises on his head and torso.

Phil Chetwynd, the global news director for Agence France-Presse, issued a strong statement regarding the incident. “We strongly condemn yet another serious attack on journalists trying to report on events in the West Bank and demand a full investigation. It is unacceptable that journalists can be beaten and robbed by armed settlers in front of Israeli security forces who made no attempt to intervene,” said Chetwynd.

The Foreign Press Association also expressed deep alarm, calling the event a clear attempt to intimidate the media and prevent accurate reporting. They emphasized that international outlets will not be deterred by such physical threats.

The broader context of this violence involves extremist settlers seizing olive groves that Palestinians view as significant cultural symbols. About 500,000 Israeli settlers live in the West Bank, a territory captured by Israel in 1967, alongside 3 million Palestinians. Although these settlements are considered illegal under international law, legal consequences for settler violence remain rare.

The environment for reporters in the region has become increasingly dangerous. According to the UN Human Rights Office, Israel was the world’s leading killer of journalists in 2025, with at least 225 journalists killed in Gaza and Lebanon.

Furthermore, Reporters Without Borders reports that Israeli authorities have detained 19 journalists in the West Bank since the October 7, 2023 attack. Media rights groups continue to warn that authorities are creating more obstacles for those trying to document the daily reality of these ongoing conflicts.