Israeli settler charged in death of activist Owdeh Hathaleen

The charges stem from a July 2025 incident involving the operation of a large excavator in Umm al-Khair, which triggered a standoff with local residents. Footage captured by Hathaleen himself shows Levi drawing a weapon and firing in the activist's direction before Hathaleen collapses. While Levi previously denied responsibility for the fatal shot, the filing also includes counts of armed trespassing and malicious property damage.

This legal action represents a rare departure from the norm in the occupied West Bank. According to the rights group B'Tselem, this is the first indictment of a settler for a Palestinian's death since the October 7, 2023, Hamas attacks. While the group views the prosecution as an exception rather than a shift in policy, Israeli authorities maintain that they actively investigate wrongdoing and pursue measures to curb settler violence. Since the conflict escalated, United Nations data indicates that at least 1,100 Palestinians have been killed by soldiers and settlers, with 18 deaths linked to settler attacks recorded so far this year.