Israeli Settler Charged After Killing Palestinian Activist Linked to Oscar‑Winning Documentary

Israeli prosecutors have charged a settler in the southern West Bank with reckless manslaughter.

Yinon Levy, a leader of an outpost farm near the village of Umm al‑Khair, was formally accused of shooting Odeh Hathaleen in July 2025.

No Other Land, a 2025 Oscar‑winning documentary, featured Hathaleen, a teacher and father of three who spoke out against settler violence as the film investigated the forced demolition of the Palestinian community of Masafer Yatta.

Levy is facing additional allegations of armed trespassing and property damage during the confrontation.

The indictment is the first such case in almost three years and follows a rise in settler attacks after the Hamas bombardment of Israel on 7 October 2023.

Human rights group B’Tselem called the move a “turning point” in holding settlers to account.

Levy, who has been sanctioned by the UK and US in past years, denies the charges and claims the shooting was an act of self‑defence.

Official reaction: “The impunity granted to settlers is a central component of policy”, B’Tselem wrote.

Witness Mattan Berner‑Kadish shared that the indictment signals rare accountability for settler violence, although the case may still warrant a murder charge.

Source: BBC News.