Israeli prosecutors on Thursday (August 6) charged a Jewish settler over the killing of a Palestinian community leader last year in the West Bank, the first such indictment in more than seven years amid a rise in settler violence in the occupied territory.

In an indictment filed by the State Attorney's office, Yinon Levi is charged with reckless manslaughter in the death of Owdeh Hathaleen, a prominent activist who was involved in the 2025 Oscar-winning documentary "No Other Land".

The charges against Levi also include armed trespassing and malicious property damage during a July 2025 incident in which settlers operated a large excavator in the Palestinian village of Umm al-Khair, setting off a confrontation with residents.

Hathaleen filmed the moment he was shot during the confrontation. Footage released by the Israeli rights group B'Tselem shows Levi draw a weapon and fire in Hathaleen's direction. Hathaleen is then heard moaning as he falls to the ground.

Levi, who Britain and the European Union have placed under sanctions over violence against Palestinians, has previously denied firing the shot that killed Hathaleen. Reuters was not able to reach his lawyer for comment.

Thursday's indictment marks the first since the October 7, 2023 Hamas attacks on Israel set off Israel's military assault in Gaza and led to a sharp rise in settler violence against Palestinians in the West Bank, B'Tselem said.

During that time, Israeli soldiers and settlers have killed at least 1,100 Palestinians, among them at least 240 children, according to United Nations data.

Another Israeli rights group, Yesh Din, said that an Israeli civilian was last indicted in the killing of a Palestinian in the West Bank in 2019.

Israel's military says it investigates instances of wrongdoing by its soldiers and that it and the Israeli police take steps to crack down on settler violence.

Hundreds of thousands of Israelis have settled among millions of Palestinians in land that Israel captured in a 1967 war, and which Palestinians seek as the core of an independent future state.

U.N. bodies, Palestinians and most countries view the settlements as illegal under international conventions and a major obstacle to peace. Israel disputes that the settlements are illegal, saying that a Jewish presence has existed in the West Bank for thousands of years.

According to United Nations figures, 18 Palestinians have been killed in incidents linked to settler attacks so far this year, compared with 17 in the whole of 2025.

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Israel charges settler in Palestinian activist's killing, in rare indictment

VIDEO SHOWS: INTERVIEW WITH BROTHER OF PALESTINIAN ACTIVIST OWDEH HATHALEEN WHO WAS KILLED BY ISRAELI SETTLER YINON LEVI / VIEW OF BEDOUIN COMMUNITY IN UMM AL-KHAIR IN MASAFER YATTA, AND ISRAELI SETTLEMENTS AROUND

RESENDING WITH COMPLETE SCRIPT

SHOWS: MASAFER YATTA, WEST BANK (AUGUST 6, 2026) (REUTERS – Access all)

1. PICTURES OF OWDEH HATHALEEN, THE PALESTINIAN ACTIVIST WHO WAS INVOLVED IN OSCAR-WINNING DOCUMENTARY AND WAS KILLED BY AN ISRAELI SETTLER LAST YEAR

2. OWDEH’S BROTHER, KHALIL HATHALEEN, POINTING TOWARD THE SITE WHERE HIS BROTHER WAS KILLED

3. KHALIL HATHALEEN WALKING THROUGH DOOR

4. (SOUNDBITE) (Arabic) OWDEH’S BROTHER, KHALIL HATHALEEN, SAYING:

“The news was joyful. It was joyful and sad at the same time. It is joyful because, for the first time in the West Bank, a settler has been convicted of attacking or killing someone. This is a precedent; it is the first time this has happened. But it is sad because they did not mention that he was responsible for premeditated murder.”

5. KHALIL HATHALEEN IN HIS OFFICE

6. PICTURE OF OWDEH HATHALEEN

7. (SOUNDBITE) (Arabic) OWDEH’S BROTHER, KHALIL HATHALEEN, SAYING:

“We received a call yesterday from the lawyer. He said that the Israeli police and prosecution had concluded their investigation into Owdeh’s case. The results were as follows: the charges against Yinon Levi were reckless manslaughter, as well as attacking the family’s property and causing psychological and moral damage in Umm al-Khair.”

8. PICTURE OF OWDEH HATHALEEN

9. (SOUNDBITE) (Arabic) OWDEH’S BROTHER, KHALIL HATHALEEN, SAYING:

“I hope this will deter the settlers. Any settler who wants to kill or attack a Palestinian will think twice after this. The family feels relieved now, especially his wife and children. We are waiting for the court’s final decision.”

MASAFER YATTA, WEST BANK (ARCHIVE - RELEASED JULY 28, 2025) (ALAA HATHALEEN – NO ARCHIVE, NO RESALE, MUST CARRY ON-SCREEN COURTESY: ALAA HATHALEEN)

10. VIDEO SHOWING ISRAELI SETTLER YINON LEVI STANDING IN FRONT OF AN EXCAVATOR, DRAWING HIS GUN AND FIRING DURING A CONFRONTATION WITH PALESTINIANS; ALAA HATHALEEN RUNNING AWAY; PEOPLE HEARD SCREAMING

MASAFER YATTA, WEST BANK (AUGUST 6, 2026) (REUTERS – ACCESS ALL)

11. ISRAELI FLAGS HANGING NEAR AN ISRAELI SETTLEMENT AND OUTPOST IN MASAFER YATTA

12. VARIOUS OF ISRAELI SETTLEMENT

13. VARIOUS OF PALESTINIAN HOUSES IN UMM AL-KHAIR, WITH AN ISRAELI SETTLEMENT BEHIND THEM

14. ISRAELI SETTLEMENT AND PALESTINIAN HOMES IN MASAFER YATTA