Trump Backs Netanyahu as “Israeli” Settlers Brutalize Palestinians and Attack US Journalist

By Staff, Agencies

US President Donald Trump has reaffirmed his full support for “Israeli” Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu ahead of “Israel’s” October 27 elections, even as Washington calls on the “Israeli” authorities to curb escalating settler violence in the occupied West Bank following a brutal assault on an American journalist.

The contrasting messages come amid reported disagreements between Trump and Netanyahu over military operations in Lebanon, Gaza and Iran. Despite these tensions, Trump declared his “Complete and Total Endorsement” of Netanyahu in a post on Truth Social on Sunday, praising him as a “Great Warrior Prime Minister.”

Netanyahu subsequently thanked the US president for his “tremendous support and the joint work,” underscoring the continued political alliance between Washington and the “Israeli” government.

A day earlier, US Secretary of State Marco Rubio condemned the assault on American photojournalist Heidi Levine, who was attacked while covering Palestinian olive harvesting in the occupied West Bank.

“We’re very disturbed by those images and what we’re seeing. We’ve asked the ‘Israelis,’ and continue to ask them, to crack down on that stuff,” Rubio told reporters in Maryland.

Rubio added that Trump did not want to see “a crisis going on in the West Bank,” describing the incident as deeply disturbing and damaging to “Israel’s” image.

US Ambassador to “Israel” Mike Huckabee also denounced the attack, describing the assault on Levine as an act of terror and calling for an investigation, the arrest of those responsible, and their prosecution.

Levine was attacked on Friday near the Palestinian village of Abu Falah while documenting the local olive harvest, an important source of livelihood for Palestinian families that has repeatedly been disrupted by settler attacks.

According to The Washington Post, masked “Israeli” settlers knocked the veteran photographer to the ground despite her wearing a protective vest clearly marked “PRESS.” They stole her equipment and repeatedly kicked her, leaving her with four fractured vertebrae and a broken rib.

Reports also indicated that “Israeli” soldiers were present at the scene but failed to intervene to stop the assault.

The attack highlights growing concerns over the safety of journalists and Palestinian civilians in the occupied West Bank, where settler violence has increasingly threatened agricultural communities and their livelihoods.

In another incident on Saturday, masked “Israeli” settlers attacked a convoy carrying European diplomats near Taybeh, a predominantly Christian Palestinian village in the occupied West Bank, further raising concerns over the safety of Palestinians and international representatives.

The incidents come amid a sharp escalation in settler violence against Palestinians. UN officials said on Friday that attacks had reached their highest level since 2006, with more than 1,600 incidents recorded between January and August.

Alongside the violence, “Israel” has continued expanding its settlements across the occupied West Bank, deepening concerns over the erosion of Palestinian land rights and the prospects for an independent Palestinian state.

According to the “Israeli” watchdog Peace Now, authorities approved nearly 11,000 new housing units in West Bank settlements this year.

The expansion has been strongly promoted by far-right Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich and supported by the entity's so-called "National Security" Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir, both influential figures in Netanyahu’s governing coalition.

The settlement drive and continuing attacks on Palestinian communities have intensified criticism of the “Israeli” government’s policies in the occupied territory, particularly as Palestinians face mounting threats to their homes, land and livelihoods.

While Washington has publicly called for action against extremist settler violence, Trump’s emphatic endorsement of Netanyahu highlights the continued US political backing enjoyed by the “Israeli” premier despite mounting international concern over the treatment of Palestinians.

For Palestinians in the occupied West Bank, the latest incidents underscore the growing insecurity surrounding their communities, while questions remain over whether calls from Washington will translate into meaningful accountability for those responsible for attacks against Palestinian civilians and international journalists.