TEL AVIV, Israel (AP) — New video footage has emerged revealing the moment when a Palestinian activist was fatally shot by an Israeli settler during a confrontation in the occupied West Bank last month. The incident occurred on July 28 in the village of Umm al-Khair, which has historically been subjected to settler violence.
The video, released by B'Tselem, an Israeli human rights organization, shows Israeli settler Yinon Levi firing a gun in the direction of the activist who was filming. The footage captures the chaos of the scene, cutting off just as the camera continues to record the victim's cries of pain. The activist, identified as Awdah Hathaleen, 31, was an English teacher and father of three, and was reportedly filming the confrontation.
B'Tselem asserts that the footage was provided by Hathaleen's family. In controversial circumstances, Levi was briefly detained but later released from house arrest by an Israeli court that cited insufficient evidence against him. The violence has intensified since the commencement of the Israel-Hamas war, with mutually escalating attacks from both settlers and Palestinian militants.
Sarit Michaeli, the international outreach director for B'Tselem, commented on Hathaleen's killing, calling it a horrific indicator of the vulnerability of Palestinians in both Gaza and the West Bank. Michaeli noted, "They are fully exposed to Israeli violence, while Israeli soldiers or settlers can kill them in broad daylight with impunity." Levi, who had previously been subject to U.S. sanctions that were lifted by the Trump administration, is now involved in a legal and political controversy following the incident.
The video footage depicts Levi firing multiple shots from a pistol, although it does not clarify where the bullets impacted. Witnesses claim that Levi directed shots at Hathaleen. Avichai Hajbi, Levi’s lawyer, states that his client acted in self-defense, although he did not elaborate on the specifics. Following a court decision that allowed Levi to leave house arrest, he has been barred from coming into contact with village residents for one month.
B'Tselem reported that the incident escalated when Levi confronted a crowd of villagers who were attempting to block an excavator brought into Umm al-Khair by a nearby settlement. Fearing that the vehicle would disrupt the village's main water supply, villagers raised objections, leading to a confrontation in which an individual threw a stone at the excavator.
The video that captures the events reveals a heated exchange between Levi and three men before he discharged his weapon towards the person filming. Hathaleen, standing approximately 40 meters (130 feet) away at the village's community center, was struck in the chest and collapsed immediately, according to B'Tselem's account.
Eitan Peleg, an attorney for Hathaleen's family, mentioned that investigators were keenly interested in the footage, which the police had yet to have seen. Peleg has urged the district court to pursue more severe charges against Levi in light of the shooting. Levi has established a settler outpost near Umm al-Khair, which activists criticize as a stronghold for violent settlers who have displaced hundreds of Palestinians amid the ongoing conflict.
Public outcry following Hathaleen's death has led to several memorials; murals have been erected in his honor in cities like Rome, and vigils have been held in New York and Tel Aviv. These actions underscore a wider movement seeking justice and accountability for settler violence against Palestinians in the occupied territories.
Following Hathaleen's killing, the Israeli military initially withheld his body for burial, imposing conditions on the funeral arrangements. Only after negotiations were conditions agreed upon was Hathaleen's body returned for burial. Supporters and activists continue to demand accountability and justice for his untimely death.
