Charges Filed
Israeli prosecutors on Thursday charged a Jewish settler over the killing of a Palestinian community leader last year in the occupied West Bank, marking the first indictment of a settler in a Palestinian's death in nearly three years. The indictment, filed by the State Attorney's office, charges Yinon Levi with reckless manslaughter in the death of Owdeh Hathaleen, a prominent activist involved in the 2025 Oscar-winning documentary "No Other Land". Levi also faces charges of armed trespassing and malicious property damage during a July 2025 incident in which settlers operated a large excavator in the Palestinian village of Umm al-Khair, setting off a confrontation with residents.[S1]
Hathaleen filmed the moment he was shot during the confrontation. Footage released by the Israeli rights group B'Tselem shows Levi draw a weapon and fire in Hathaleen's direction. Hathaleen is then heard moaning as he falls to the ground. Levi, who Britain and the European Union have placed under sanctions over violence against Palestinians, has previously denied firing the shot that killed Hathaleen. Reuters was not able to reach his lawyer for comment.[S1]
Rare Indictment
Thursday's indictment marks the first since the October 7, 2023 Hamas attacks on Israel that set off Israel's military assault in Gaza and led to a sharp rise in settler violence against Palestinians in the West Bank, B'Tselem said. During that time, Israeli soldiers and settlers have killed at least 1,100 Palestinians, among them at least 240 children, according to United Nations data. "The decision to indict Yinon Levi is the exception that proves the rule. The impunity Israel grants to soldiers and settlers who harm Palestinians is not a failure of the system — it is a central component of a policy designed to allow the violence to continue and escalate," B'Tselem said.[S1]
Israel's military says it investigates instances of wrongdoing by its soldiers and that it and the Israeli police take steps to crack down on settler violence. Hundreds of thousands of Israelis have settled among millions of Palestinians in land that Israel captured in a 1967 war, and which Palestinians seek as the core of an independent future state. U.N. bodies, Palestinians and most countries view the settlements as illegal under international conventions and a major obstacle to peace. Israel disputes that the settlements are illegal, saying that a Jewish presence has existed in the West Bank for thousands of years.[S1]
According to United Nations figures, 18 Palestinians have been killed in incidents linked to settler attacks so far this year, compared with 17 in the whole of 2025. The indictment comes more than a year after Hathaleen was fatally shot in the Palestinian village of Umm al-Khair. Video footage from the incident showed Levi firing towards groups of Palestinians during a confrontation. Witnesses said one of the shots struck Hathaleen, who was standing only metres away. Another video, which family members said was recorded by Hathaleen himself, allegedly captured Levi firing towards the person holding the camera before the footage abruptly ended, with moans of pain audible in the background.[S1][S2]
Reactions and Context
Levi's lawyer, Avichay Hajbi, described the prosecution's decision as "mistaken" and said the defence would respond to the charges in court. He did not confirm whether the indictment had been formally served. Israeli human rights organisation B'Tselem described the indictment as unprecedented in recent years, saying it was the first time since the October 7, 2023 attacks that an Israeli had been charged over the death of a Palestinian in the West Bank. The group said Israeli settlers and security forces have killed at least 1,100 Palestinians in the territory during that period.[S2]
Hathaleen, a teacher and father of three, was widely known for campaigning against settler violence and for hosting international activists and dignitaries in his village. He also featured in the Oscar-winning 2025 documentary "No Other Land," which chronicled Palestinian efforts to prevent the demolition of their homes and villages in the occupied West Bank. His killing drew international attention, with rights groups and activists calling for Levi to be prosecuted. Levi was among several Israeli settlers sanctioned by the United States and other Western governments in 2024 over allegations of violence against Palestinians. Those US sanctions were lifted after President Donald Trump returned to office the following year.[S2]
