Israeli settlers attack German journalists reporting on West Bank violence
Two journalists from the German state broadcaster Deutsche Welle (DW) were attacked by Israeli settlers while reporting in the occupied West Bank, the outlet said on Saturday.
The correspondent and cameraman came under assault on Friday in the Palestinian village of Sinjil, north of Ramallah. They were covering a planned protest against mounting settler violence when a group of settlers hurled stones at them and chased them from the scene.
The DW crew managed to escape without physical injury, but the cameraman’s vehicle was severely damaged. According to DW, other international journalists present during the attack were also forced to flee after coming under a barrage of stones.
DW director Peter Limbourg condemned the assault, calling for immediate accountability.
"This attack cannot be justified by anything, and we demand quite clearly: the Israeli government must guarantee the safety of all journalists in the West Bank," he said in a statement.
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Israel’s military, which oversees security in the West Bank, did not initially comment. A spokesperson later said the incident would be reviewed.
'Israel’s systematic assassination of Palestinian reporters'
Attacks on journalists in the occupied West Bank are not new. In May, at least 13 reporters were injured during assaults by both Israeli forces and settlers.
In one instance, a journalist was struck in the head with a stick by settlers while covering an attack in Al-Mughayyir village, east of Ramallah. The journalist lost consciousness and was taken to a medical centre in Ramallah.
In that same attack, six journalists suffered temporary asphyxiation after Israeli troops fired tear gas during a raid in Nablus. Another six were reportedly affected by tear gas in Bethlehem during clashes.
The latest attacks comes as Israel continues to target and kill journalists in Gaza. In June a Palestinian photojournalist was killed in an Israeli air strike on western Gaza City.
The Government Media Office confirmed the death of Ismail Abu Hatab, bringing the number of journalists killed in Gaza since October 2023 to 228.
In a statement, the office denounced “Israel’s systematic assassination of Palestinian reporters in Gaza” and urged media and rights organisations to “condemn these systematic crimes against Gaza journalists.”
Since 7 October 2023, settler violence in the occupied West Bank has sharply escalated. Armed settlers—often carrying rifles, clubs and stones—have raided Palestinian villages, torching homes, vehicles and farmland, often with the backing of the Israeli army.
Roughly three million Palestinians live under Israeli occupation in the West Bank, alongside more than 700,000 Israeli settlers residing in over 200 settlements, including in East Jerusalem. These settlements are considered illegal under international law.
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