Odeh Hathalin, a Palestinian activist and community leader who collaborated on the Oscar-winning documentary No Other Land, has been shot dead by an Israeli settler in the occupied West Bank. The incident occurred on Monday in the village of Umm Al-Kheir, where Hathalin was shot in the chest, according to Israeli journalist and co-director Yuval Abraham.
The alleged assailant, identified by local residents as Yinon Levi, is among a group of Israeli settlers sanctioned by the UK and the EU. US President Donald Trump rescinded those restrictions earlier this year. Israeli media reported that Levi was arrested on Monday but released to house arrest on Tuesday while investigations continue.
Hathalin, a father of three and English teacher, supported journalists and participated in the filming of No Other Land, which documents the destruction and harassment faced by Bedouin communities in the West Bank. Co-director Basel Adra wrote on X: 'My dear friend Awdah was slaughtered this evening... This is how Israel erases us — one life at a time.'
France condemned the killing, calling settler violence 'an act of terrorism' and urging Israeli authorities to protect Palestinian civilians. The murder comes amid rising settler violence across the West Bank, with over 30 Palestinians killed by settlers since 2022.
