Israeli authorities have formally charged Yinon Levy, a settler, with reckless manslaughter following the death of Odeh Hathaleen in the occupied West Bank. The incident occurred in July 2025 during a confrontation in the village of Umm al-Khair, where settlers were operating an excavator.
According to the indictment from the Southern District Prosecutor's Office, Levy fired his weapon toward local residents, striking Hathaleen, before discharging a second shot into the air. In addition to manslaughter, Levy faces charges of armed trespassing and malicious property damage. Hathaleen, a teacher and father of three, was known for his activism against settler violence and appeared in the Oscar-winning documentary No Other Land, which chronicles the displacement of communities in Masafer Yatta.
The indictment marks a rare legal action in the region. The rights group B'Tselem noted that this is the first time in nearly three years that an Israeli has been charged for killing a Palestinian in the West Bank. While the victim's family expressed hope that the case could represent a "turning point" regarding accountability, B'Tselem characterized the prosecution as an "exception that proves the rule," arguing that systemic impunity remains a policy.
Levy, who previously faced international sanctions for his role in displacing Palestinian communities, has denied the charges. In a letter reported by the Associated Press, he stated his intention to contest the case in court, characterizing his actions as self-defense. His legal representative, Avichai Hajbi, described the prosecution's decision as a mistake.
Since the October 7, 2023, Hamas-led attacks, the United Nations has recorded at least 1,110 Palestinian deaths at the hands of Israeli soldiers and settlers in the West Bank, alongside 41 Israeli deaths resulting from Palestinian attacks during the same timeframe.
Source: BBC News
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