Israel indicts settler in 2025 killing of West Bank activist
Why it matters: Rights groups called it the first such case in years as settler attacks on Palestinians climbed after Oct. 7.
Israeli prosecutors charged settler Yinon Levi with reckless manslaughter over the July 2025 killing of Palestinian activist Owdeh Hathaleen in Umm al-Khair in the occupied West Bank. The indictment also accuses Levi of armed trespassing and malicious property damage after settlers brought an excavator into the village, triggering a confrontation with residents. Hathaleen, a teacher and father of three who was involved in the Oscar-winning documentary “No Other Land,” was shot during the clash. Footage cited by B’Tselem shows Levi firing in Hathaleen’s direction. Levi has denied firing the fatal shot. Rights groups described the indictment as rare and said it was the first case of its kind in years despite a broader rise in settler violence.