Israeli prosecutors have charged a settler with reckless manslaughter for the killing of Palestinian activist Awdah Hathaleen in the occupied West Bank. The indictment marks a rare instance of an Israeli being charged for violence against Palestinians since October 7, 2023.
The indictment of an Israeli settler for the killing of a Palestinian is a rare occurrence, highlighting the ongoing tensions and violence in the West Bank and the challenges in achieving accountability for such incidents.
Israeli prosecutors have charged a settler with reckless manslaughter for the killing of Palestinian activist Awdah Hathaleen in the occupied West Bank. The indictment, filed in district court, also accuses Yinon Levi of armed trespassing and malicious property damage.
According to the indictment, Levi, who resides in the southern West Bank, is accused of killing Hathaleen in July 2025. The charge of reckless manslaughter carries a lesser penalty than murder under Israeli law. Israeli rights group B’Tselem stated that this indictment is the first instance since October 7, 2023, where an Israeli has been charged for the death of a Palestinian in the West Bank, noting that at least 1,100 Palestinians have been killed by Israeli settlers and soldiers in the territory during that period.
Levi’s lawyer, Avichay Hajbi, did not confirm the indictment but called the prosecution's decision "mistaken" and stated the defense would respond in court. Video footage from the day Hathaleen was killed shows Levi firing shots at Palestinians in Hathaleen’s village, Umm al-Khair. Witnesses reported that one of these shots struck Hathaleen, who was standing nearby.
Hathaleen was recognized for his advocacy against settler violence and his participation in the Oscar-winning film “No Other Land.” He was a teacher, father of three, and frequently hosted international visitors. His public profile and the available video evidence contributed to global demands for Levi’s prosecution. Levi had previously been sanctioned by the United States and other Western nations in 2024 for alleged violence against Palestinians, though these sanctions were lifted by U.S. President Donald Trump the following year.