DID Press: Heidi Levine, a photographer for The Washington Post who was severely assaulted by Israeli settlers in the occupied West Bank last week, says the incident has strengthened her determination to continue reporting on the suffering and hardships faced by Palestinians.
Speaking to CNN host Jake Tapper, Levine said the harrowing experience had helped her better understand the suffering of Palestinian victims. She is recovering after being discharged from hospital.
“I can now truly understand what others, including Palestinian women, children and men, have endured,” Levine said.
She added that, despite the widespread international attention surrounding her case, she could not imagine the conditions faced by people who live under the constant threat of violence.
“This incident has actually strengthened my commitment to continue working and trying to make a difference,” she said.
Levine, a veteran photojournalist known for her coverage of the Middle East, was attacked alongside a group of Palestinians and several other journalists while reporting on the annual olive harvest in the occupied West Bank.
Violence in the West Bank has increased amid the expansion of Israeli settlements. Attacks on farmers and communities whose livelihoods depend on the olive harvest have become a growing concern in the area.