- Yinon Levi has been indicted for reckless manslaughter in the killing of Palestinian activist Awdah Hathaleen, marking a rare prosecution of a settler for violence against Palestinians.
- The indictment was filed at the Beersheba District Court and includes charges of armed trespassing and malicious property damage.
- Awdah Hathaleen was shot and killed in Umm al-Khair in July 2025, while he was filming an incident involving Levi.
- In February 2024, Levi was sanctioned by the US, UK, Canada, and EU for his actions as a hardline settler.
- Yinon Levi founded the unauthorized Meitarim Farm outpost in 2021, contributing to the ongoing tensions in the region.
- The charges against Levi are significant as they mark the first indictment of an Israeli for killing a Palestinian in the West Bank since the October 7, 2023 attacks.
Israeli prosecutors have charged Yinon Levi with reckless manslaughter in the killing of Palestinian activist Awdah Hathaleen, a significant legal move given the rarity of such prosecutions against settlers. The indictment, filed at the Beersheba District Court, also includes armed trespassing and malicious property damage charges.12346
Hathaleen, 31, was a vocal advocate against settler violence and was involved in the Oscar-winning film documenting Palestinian struggles in the West Bank. He was shot in the village of Umm al-Khair, where Levi allegedly ordered a minor excavator operator to clear a route across Palestinian land, leading to the incident.
“At one point, the backhoe operator allegedly used the excavator’s digging tooth against one of the individuals standing in its path, striking him and causing injuries to his head and shoulder,” a spokesperson for the Southern District Attorney’s Office stated. Despite this, Levi reportedly signaled the operator to continue, exacerbating the situation.
This indictment is particularly notable as it marks the first prosecution of an Israeli for killing a Palestinian in the West Bank since the October 7, 2023 attacks, according to the human rights group B’Tselem. The group reports that Israel has killed at least 1,100 Palestinians in the West Bank since October 2023, with 37 fatalities attributed to settlers.7
The reckless manslaughter charge carries a maximum prison sentence of 12 years, a lesser punishment than murder under Israeli law, highlighting the complexities of legal accountability in the region.
“The indictment, filed at Beersheba District Court, also includes armed trespassing and malicious property damage, with a maximum sentence of 12 years. B'Tselem reports at least 1,100 Palestinians killed in the West Bank since October 2023, including 37 by settlers, as violence escalates.”
