A prominent Palestinian activist, Odeh Hathalin, was killed on Monday during an attack by Israeli settlers in the occupied West Bank. Hathalin, who worked as a consultant on the Oscar-winning documentary “No Other Land,” was shot in the village of Umm al-Khair.
Israeli settler Yinon Levi, whose US sanctions were lifted by the Trump administration, was arrested at the scene and later released on house arrest. Police have charged him with reckless conduct resulting in death and unlawful use of a firearm.
The attack occurred as Hathalin was standing in front of his home when Levi approached him, firing multiple shots that hit him in the chest. The Palestinian health ministry confirmed that Hathalin had died from his injuries.
Hathalin’s cousin, Alaa al-Hathalin, described the scene, saying that Levi “always attacks us” and that he shot Odeh in the chest after being confronted by a group of villagers. The Israeli police claimed that Levi was attacked by a mob throwing stones, but this explanation has been disputed.
The incident highlights the growing tensions between Palestinians and Israeli settlers in the West Bank, where many settlers are armed and have been involved in violent attacks on civilians. Last month, Hathalin was deported from San Francisco after immigration officials revoked his visa due to his involvement with the documentary project.
Ofer Cassif, a left-wing member of Israel’s parliament, has demanded that authorities launch an investigation into Hathalin’s death, calling it a “paralysis of law enforcement” and a demonstration of the settlers’ “complete sense of immunity.”
Source: https://edition.cnn.com/2025/07/29/middleeast/israeli-settler-odeh-hathalin-west-bank-oscar-intl