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Heidi Levine

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Heidi Levine
Injured at the Western Wall by a stone thrown by an Israeli rioter on the Temple Mount after Ramadan prayers on 25 February 1994.
Born1962 or 1963 (age 63–64)
Boston, Massachusetts, U.S.
EducationUniversity of Massachusetts, Amherst
OccupationPhotojournalist

Heidi Levine (born 1962 or 1963[1]) is an American freelance photojournalist who has worked for the Associated Press, Sipa Press, and The Washington Post. She has spent much of her career covering the Israeli–Palestinian conflict.

Early life and education

Levine was born and raised in Boston, Massachusetts. She is Jewish. Her father was passionate about photography, and bought Levine her first camera; they would walk around Boston taking pictures. Her first interest in the field was to photograph under-privileged areas of Boston and New York. At the University of Massachusetts, Amherst, she was the school paper photographer. In 1983 during a school break, at age 21,[2] she went to Israel to work for six weeks at a kibbutz. While there, she applied to the Associated Press and received a job offer. Figuring that working as a photojournalist would be educationally better than college journalism classes, she took the offer,[3] and in 1983 started her photojournalism career in Israel as a staffer.[4]

Career

In 2013, Levine said that working at the Associated Press in Israel gave her experience in many facets of the field, including editing, lab activities, and interacting with subscribers. She faced difficulty with breaking into the field as a woman, describing it as a "boys club."[3] In 1991, she joined the Sipa Press Photo Agency. Based in Israel, most of her coverage has been focused on the violence in Israel, Gaza and the West Bank.[5][6] She has covered conflicts in Afghanistan, Kosovo, Iraq, Lebanon, Libya,[2] and Syria[2] on assignment.[7] She has also covered topics such as female feticide in India, the COVID-19 pandemic, and the Syrian refugee crisis.[4]

In February 2022, she went to Ukraine on assignment for The Washington Post.[8][9] While covering the Russian invasion of Ukraine, she photographed and commented on the aftermath of the Bucha massacre. She noted that "most of the images [she] took could never be published because they're too shocking."[10][11]

Levine is covered the Gaza war.[12][13] She has described covering the Israeli–Palestinian conflict as "very, very personal"[14] and intimate.[15]

Her pictures have been published in many outlets, including The Washington Post, The New York Times, Stern, National Geographic, Paris Match, L'Express, Newsweek, Time, The New York Times Magazine, The Sunday Times Magazine, Forbes, and The Globe and Mail.[4]

2026 attack by Israeli settlers

On October 16, 2026, Levine, along with several Palestinian olive farmers, was attacked by a group of Israeli settlers while reporting on the Palestinian olive harvest at Abu Falah in the occupied West Bank.[16][17][18][19] The Washington Post, for which she was reporting, stated that she was wearing a vest identifying her as a member of the press, and was robbed of her phone and cameras.[20][21] Levine was taken to a hospital in Ramallah with multiple lacerations, a broken rib, four broken vertebrae and a ripped finger.[21][22][1] According to witnesses, Israeli soldiers who arrived fired tear gas at the Palestinians and did not attempt to control the settlers.[21]

In a video statement made from the hospital, Levine said, "Today I was brutally attacked," adding, "We saw in the distance, in the hilltop, I would say at least 50 masked men, slingshots. And when they came running down, I was attacked, pushed to the ground," and "they just kept kicking me and kicking me."[20] According to collegue Jasper Nathaniel (who is also Jewish and the partner of American actress and activist Hannah Einbinder), Levine was provided cover by young Palestinian men who threw rocks at the attacking settlers, without whom "Heidi could be dead".[1] Mike Huckabee, the US ambassador to Israel, described the attack as a "despicable act of terror" and called for the arrest and prosecution of those responsible.[23]

Reaction

Several US lawmakers called for an investigation into the attack on Levine, including Jamie Raskin and Chris Coons.[24] A US State Department official condemned the violence, saying "We condemn criminal violence by any party in the West Bank and support appropriate investigations as well as legal accountability for those responsible."[25] U.S. Representative Rosa DeLauro also wrote on the social media platform X: “If the settlers will do this to an American journalist on camera, in broad daylight, imagine what Palestinian families face when no one is watching,”[26]

The office of Israeli prime minister Benjamin Netanyahu issued a statement saying it was unclear what happened, writing, "The facts surrounding the confrontation near Abu Falah, during which Washington Post photojournalist Heidi Levine was allegedly assaulted, remain unclear and are under investigation."[25]

On October 17, Israeli president Isaac Herzog phoned Levine to apologize for the attack by settlers and said that the "despicable behavior of these criminals does not represent the citizens and values ​​of the State of Israel".[27]

The Committee to Protect Journalists wrote that the attack on Levine was "part of a disturbing pattern of violence and harassment against journalists regardless of their nationalities."[28]

Humanitarian focus

She feels that the power of photography can make a difference by raising awareness and evoking empathy for those affected by conflicts and crises.[3] She has the "ability to capture the essence of conflicts and their impact on people's lives."[4] She has "depth of compassion for the people she encounters,"[29] and "a passion for bearing witness."[7]

Personal life

Levine has lived in Jerusalem[30] and Tel Aviv,[15] and has three children. In Jerusalem, she lived in a mixed neighborhood to expose her children to people of different backgrounds.[3] Levine says she has had to make compromises that would not allow her "to be the best photographer [she] wished to be."[31]

Awards

References

  1. 1 2 3 Salman, Abeer; Dahman, Ibrahim; Liebermann, Oren (October 16, 2026). "Washington Post journalist hospitalized after Israeli settler attack on Palestinian olive harvest in West Bank". CNN Business. Retrieved October 16, 2026.
  2. 1 2 3 Chetcuti, Kristina (October 18, 2013). "We never learn from history". Times of Malta. Retrieved December 17, 2024.
  3. 1 2 3 4 Burke, Pamela (June 26, 2013). "Interview: Combat Photojournalist Heidi Levine On Covering Deadly War Zones". The Women's Eye. Retrieved December 16, 2024.
  4. 1 2 3 4 5 "Heidi Levine". IWMF. Retrieved December 17, 2024.
  5. ↑ "Award-winner Heidi Levine's images of Gaza – in pictures". the Guardian. March 25, 2015. ISSN 0261-3077. Retrieved December 17, 2024.
  6. ↑ Krever, Mick (June 25, 2015). "The breathtaking war photographs of Heidi Levine". CNN. Retrieved December 17, 2024.
  7. 1 2 3 "Heidi Levine, Award-winning Photojournalist". Radio Esfarad (in Spanish). Retrieved December 17, 2024.
  8. ↑ "Women of The Washington Post Reporting on Ukraine". IWMF. Retrieved December 17, 2024.
  9. ↑ "In photos: The war in Ukraine one month on". The Washington Post. March 24, 2022. Retrieved October 17, 2026.
  10. ↑ "'I could go on and on' Photojournalist Heidi Levine on what she saw in Bucha in the days after its liberation". Meduza. Retrieved December 17, 2024.
  11. ↑ Levine, Heidi (April 10, 2022). "'What I've seen in Bucha': photojournalist shares experience". The Guam Daily Post. Retrieved December 17, 2024.
  12. ↑ Hendrix, Steve; Morris, Loveday; Berger, Miriam; Rubin, Shira; Parker, Claire; Mahfouz, Heba Farouk (October 8, 2024). "Israelis, still at war, pause to remember the attacks of one year ago". The Washington Post. ISSN 0190-8286. Retrieved October 18, 2026.
  13. ↑ "Israeli reservists fight in Gaza but question what comes after the war". Stars and Stripes. Retrieved December 17, 2024.
  14. ↑ Berand, Doug (July 17, 2015). "Bearing witness". Vantage. Retrieved December 18, 2014.
  15. 1 2 Minutaglio, Rose (May 21, 2021). "The Human Cost of the Israeli-Palestinian Crisis in Photos". ELLE. Retrieved December 17, 2024.
  16. ↑ Magid, Pesha; Sawafta, Ali (October 16, 2026). "Israeli settlers burn olive trees, injure journalist in West Bank attack". Reuters. Retrieved October 16, 2026.
  17. ↑ Green, Elleiana (October 16, 2026). "Washington Post journalist attacked by Israeli settlers in West Bank". POLITICO. Retrieved October 16, 2026.
  18. ↑ Christou, William (October 16, 2026). "Israeli settlers attack olive farmers and Washington Post journalist in West Bank". The Guardian. ISSN 0261-3077. Retrieved October 16, 2026.
  19. ↑ Israeli settlers attack Palestinians in West Bank during olive harvest. October 16, 2026. Retrieved October 16, 2026 – via www.bbc.com.
  20. 1 2 Al-Shalchi, Hadeel (October 16, 2026). "Israeli settlers beat Palestinians and a U.S. photojournalist in West Bank attacks". NPR. Retrieved October 16, 2026.
  21. 1 2 3 Hashimeh, Suheir; Hendrix, Steve (October 16, 2026). "Israeli settlers attack Palestinians and Washington Post photographer in West Bank". The Washington Post. ISSN 0190-8286. Retrieved October 16, 2026.
  22. ↑ Lieber, Dov (October 16, 2026). "American journalist, Palestinians injured in clashes with masked Israeli settlers in West Bank". CBS News. Retrieved October 17, 2026.
  23. ↑ Jones, Sam (October 18, 2026). "US ambassador to Israel calls West Bank settler attack on American photojournalist 'terror'". The Guardian. London, United Kingdom. ISSN 0261-3077. Retrieved October 18, 2026.
  24. ↑ Lerman, Rachel (October 17, 2026). "Congress members condemn Israeli settler attack on Washington Post photographer". The Washington Post. ISSN 0190-8286. Retrieved October 17, 2026.
  25. 1 2 Burke, Kieran (October 16, 2026). "West Bank: US journalist injured by Israeli settlers". dw.com. Retrieved October 16, 2026.
  26. ↑ "US lawmakers demand action after attack on Washington Post journalist". Middle East Eye. Retrieved October 17, 2026.
  27. ↑ "Herzog apologizes to photographer beaten by settlers, says he was 'morally tormented' by thoughts of attack". The Times of Israel. October 17, 2026. Retrieved October 17, 2026.
  28. ↑ "American photojournalist Heidi Levine attacked by Israeli settlers in West Bank". Committee to Protect Journalists. October 16, 2026. Retrieved October 17, 2026.
  29. ↑ Sim, David (March 24, 2015). "Powerful photos by Heidi Levine, winner of the Anja Niedringhaus Courage in Photojournalism Award". International Business Times UK. Retrieved December 18, 2024.
  30. ↑ "Jerusalem-based photographer wins award for courage". The Times of Israel. Associated Press. June 25, 2015. Retrieved December 17, 2024.
  31. ↑ Burke, Pamela (July 24, 2013). "INTERVIEW: Heidi Levine–War Photographer and Working Mom, Part TWO". The Women's Eye. Retrieved December 16, 2024.
  32. ↑ Antunes, Jose (September 19, 2024). "Bayeux award for war correspondents is back for the 31st time". Seriously Photography. Retrieved December 17, 2024.
  33. ↑ Roué, Damien (October 13, 2015). "Heidi Levine remporte le Trophée Photo et le Prix du Public aux rencontres des correspondents de guerre à Bayeux". Phototrend (in French). Retrieved December 17, 2024.
  34. ↑ "UNICEF Photo of the Year 2015 - Press Release". www.unicef.de. Retrieved December 17, 2024.
  35. ↑ "Honoring the courage of women photojournalists". Associated Press. Retrieved December 17, 2024.
  36. ↑ "Pictures of the Year | 78th Annual Competition | Winners List". www.poy.org. Retrieved December 18, 2024.
  37. ↑ "IWMF Announces 2023 Courage in Journalism Award Winners". IWMF. Retrieved December 17, 2024.
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