RAMALLAH, West Bank (AP) – Israeli prosecutors announced on Monday their intention to charge a settler in the killing of Palestinian activist Awdah Hathaleen, an incident that gained notable attention due to its video documentation. This prosecution marks a rare instance of legal action against violence perpetrated by Jewish settlers in the occupied West Bank. The killing occurred in July during a confrontation captured from multiple angles, involving the settler Yinon Levi, who has previously faced international sanctions.
Hathaleen's death attracted additional scrutiny because of his involvement in the Oscar-winning film “No Other Land,” which highlighted the struggle of Palestinian villagers to retain their land. The confrontation unfolded in Umm al-Khair, where video evidence purportedly recorded by Hathaleen himself shows Levi firing towards the individual operating the camera. Another clip documented Levi firing two shots, though the impact points of these shots remain unclear.
Previously, an Israeli judge had released Levi from custody, citing insufficient evidence to link him to Hathaleen's death. However, the State Attorney General's office has now indicated plans to indict Levi, although specific charges were not disclosed in the statement. Eitan Peleg, representing Hathaleen's family, disclosed that they had been informed of impending charges of reckless homicide, which could allow Levi to contest them before formal filing.
Peleg emphasized the rarity of legal enforcement in such cases involving Palestinians, calling this situation unique. The Israeli military directed inquiries about the indictment to the police, who have yet to comment. As of now, approximately 3.4 million Palestinians and 700,000 Israelis reside in the occupied West Bank and East Jerusalem, areas seized by Israel in 1967, which Palestinians seek for a future state. The international community widely deems Israeli settlement construction in these territories illegal and an impediment to peace.
Activists and rights groups assert that Israeli authorities frequently fail to hold settlers accountable for acts of violence, with a noted decline in investigations into settler attacks reported by the Israeli organization Yesh Din since the appointment of National Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir. Khalil Hathaleen, Awdah's brother, expressed relief regarding the anticipated prosecution but criticized the charge of reckless homicide as inadequate, insisting that the act constituted intentional killing with premeditated intent.
Levi’s legal representative, Avichai Hajbi, refrained from commenting on the forthcoming indictment, claiming to have not yet received the details. Following the shooting, Hajbi asserted that Levi acted in self-defense, without elaborating on the context of these claims. Previous footage revealed by B'Tselem, an Israeli human rights organization, shows Levi continuing to discharge his weapon towards the individual recording the incident. Sounds of pain were captured in the video, as B'Tselem asserts that Hathaleen collapsed shortly after the shots were fired.
The incident originates from a dispute over an excavator that had reportedly rolled down from a near settlement, damaging Palestinian property. Family members reported that Levi was waving a pistol during the standoff, which escalated amidst tensions with armed Palestinians. Despite the documented evidence of Lev's aggressive behavior, he was initially detained but ultimately released to house arrest, a condition which was then removed.
Compounding these tensions, violence against the village depicted in “No Other Land” has reportedly surged following the film's accolades. Hamdan Ballal, a co-director of the film, described a recent attack on his family home and noted that settler aggression has notably increased in the wake of the film's success. He recounted specific incidents including an assault by soldiers on his brother, asserting that settler incursions have damaged crops and properties with increasing frequency.
As Israeli authorities proceed with Levi’s impending indictment, broader operations aiming to consolidate land control in the West Bank are intensifying. Recent announcements outlined measures to enforce land registration requirements, provoking concerns among rights groups regarding potential displacement of Palestinians from land cultivated for generations. Israel's Foreign Ministry defended these legal measures as counteractions against Palestinian Authority registration efforts in areas under Israeli control.
International condemnation of Israel's practices abounds, with major stakeholders in the peace process voicing significant reservations about the unlawful aspects of these recent initiatives. Statements from Saudi Arabia and Egypt condemned Israel's actions as detrimental to peace and stability in the region, with U.N. Secretary-General António Guterres labeling them unlawful according to international law and calling for immediate reconsideration of these settlement policies.
