Israeli Court Charges Settler in Killing of Palestinian Activist

The indictment, filed Thursday in an Israeli district court, marks the first such charge against an Israeli civilian in more than seven years, according to human rights group Yesh Din. Hathaleen, a 31-year-old teacher and father of three who worked on the Oscar-winning documentary No Other Land, was killed during a confrontation after settlers brought excavators to level land for an illegal outpost. Video showed Levi firing toward the crowd, and an investigation by Al-Haq matched the fatal wound to his handgun, finding no Palestinians were armed.

Levi's lawyer called the charges mistaken. Levi had been sanctioned by the UK and EU over violence against Palestinians. B'Tselem called the indictment the exception that proves the rule, citing at least 1,100 Palestinians killed in the West Bank since October 2023. Settler attacks now average 190 a month in 2026.