Israeli settlers have attacked journalists from several international media outlets, including CNN, in the occupied West Bank. Israeli police have arrested four individuals in connection with the incident.
The attack occurred last Saturday after journalists from CNN and other media organizations gathered near the village of Sinjil, north of Ramallah.
A year ago, a Palestinian-American citizen named Saif Musallat was beaten to death by Jewish settlers at that location. Journalists had gone there to cover the story marking the first anniversary of that incident.
CNN reported that a group of settlers arrived within minutes of the journalists reaching the site. As the journalists attempted to leave the area, four settlers blocked the road with a vehicle.
The Israeli settlers were armed with wooden clubs, metal rods, and stones. One individual also carried a knife and attempted to puncture the tires of the CNN vehicle.
The attackers then approached another vehicle trailing the CNN car, in which other journalists were traveling.
They smashed the windshield of that vehicle. Simultaneously, another group blocked an alternative exit route and chased the journalists toward the town of Sinjil.
Israeli police and army personnel subsequently arrived at the scene. Police arrested four suspects and reported the seizure of wooden clubs and a knife from their vehicle.
In a statement, the Israeli police said they take any incident involving property damage or violence seriously, particularly when media personnel performing their duties are targeted.
Following Saif Musallat’s death in July 2024, US Ambassador to Israel Mike Huckabee described the incident as a “criminal and terrorist act” and called for an investigation. However, Musallat’s father told CNN that, even a year after the killing, no one had been arrested for the crime. A few days prior to last Saturday’s attack, US Congressman Ro Khanna was also detained by settlers while visiting an area south of Hebron in the West Bank. During his three-day trip, he visited the village of Turmus Ayya, which is home to a significant Palestinian-American population and has long been a target of settler attacks.
Speaking to Reuters later, Khanna described seeing an air of arrogance in the eyes of the settlers who detained him; their behavior showed no respect for a US citizen or a member of the US Congress.
In an interview with CNN, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu claimed that the issue of settler violence has been “exaggerated.” According to him, these incidents involve around 150 “unruly youths.” While the police and army take action against them, the courts tend to be relatively lenient.
Despite Netanyahu’s remarks, attacks by Jewish settlers in the West Bank have increased. In many instances, Israeli soldiers have been observed standing by passively without taking any action. Furthermore, the Israeli government is rapidly expanding settlements in the West Bank.
