Rubio ‘Very Disturbed’ as US Photojournalist Beaten in West Bank
(MENAFN) Marco Rubio said Saturday that the United States is “very disturbed” by reports that an American photojournalist was assaulted in the occupied West Bank, and he pressed Israel to rein in such violence.
The US Secretary of State named photojournalist Heidi Levine as the victim. “We’ve asked the Israelis and continue to ask them to crack down on that stuff,” Rubio said.
Donald Trump “has been very clear” that he wants no “friction” and no fresh crisis in the West Bank, Rubio said.
Washington has asked its embassy for more details, Rubio said. Press reports indicate Levine was beaten after being caught in an assault by groups of Israeli occupiers, he added.
“It didn’t look good,” he said, calling the episode “disturbing.”
Pressed on Trump’s decision to lift sanctions on Israeli occupiers on his first day in office last year, Rubio said the move did not signal presidential approval of such attacks.
“Lifting sanctions ... does not mean he’s a supporter of what he’s seeing now on television, what he’s reading about,” he said.
Rubio said Washington is closely tracking fears of violence during the olive harvest in the occupied West Bank, a season that traditionally draws large numbers of people to the area. He said similar concerns could emerge in Lebanon.
Separately, US Ambassador to Israel Mike Huckabee urged Israeli authorities to prosecute and jail those responsible for attacking Levine.
“Attacking a female photographer is a despicable act of terror carried out by masked cowards,” Huckabee wrote on X, the US social media company, on Saturday.
“Those who attacked unarmed reporter should spend (years) in prison,” he added. He called for a full investigation and for the arrest and prosecution of everyone involved “to the fullest extent of the law.”
Levine was covering the annual Palestinian olive harvest in the occupied West Bank on Friday when Israeli occupiers attacked her and several Palestinians.
Witnesses said the occupiers stormed the site, beat Levine and seized her passport, phone, wallet and camera equipment.
Levine said the assailants, armed with bottles and slingshots, “were kicking me for like 10 minutes, and I was trying to hold onto my cameras and my bag.”
The US Secretary of State named photojournalist Heidi Levine as the victim. “We’ve asked the Israelis and continue to ask them to crack down on that stuff,” Rubio said.
Donald Trump “has been very clear” that he wants no “friction” and no fresh crisis in the West Bank, Rubio said.
Washington has asked its embassy for more details, Rubio said. Press reports indicate Levine was beaten after being caught in an assault by groups of Israeli occupiers, he added.
“It didn’t look good,” he said, calling the episode “disturbing.”
Pressed on Trump’s decision to lift sanctions on Israeli occupiers on his first day in office last year, Rubio said the move did not signal presidential approval of such attacks.
“Lifting sanctions ... does not mean he’s a supporter of what he’s seeing now on television, what he’s reading about,” he said.
Rubio said Washington is closely tracking fears of violence during the olive harvest in the occupied West Bank, a season that traditionally draws large numbers of people to the area. He said similar concerns could emerge in Lebanon.
Separately, US Ambassador to Israel Mike Huckabee urged Israeli authorities to prosecute and jail those responsible for attacking Levine.
“Attacking a female photographer is a despicable act of terror carried out by masked cowards,” Huckabee wrote on X, the US social media company, on Saturday.
“Those who attacked unarmed reporter should spend (years) in prison,” he added. He called for a full investigation and for the arrest and prosecution of everyone involved “to the fullest extent of the law.”
Levine was covering the annual Palestinian olive harvest in the occupied West Bank on Friday when Israeli occupiers attacked her and several Palestinians.
Witnesses said the occupiers stormed the site, beat Levine and seized her passport, phone, wallet and camera equipment.
Levine said the assailants, armed with bottles and slingshots, “were kicking me for like 10 minutes, and I was trying to hold onto my cameras and my bag.”
Legal Disclaimer:
MENAFN provides the
information “as is” without warranty of any kind. We do not accept
any responsibility or liability for the accuracy, content, images,
videos, licenses, completeness, legality, or reliability of the information
contained in this article. If you have any complaints or copyright
issues related to this article, kindly contact the provider above.
Comments
No comment