First Thing: US ambassador in rare diplomatic break with Israel over attack on US journalist

Mike Huckabee condemns attack on Washington Post photojournalist that has drawn lukewarm response from Israeli authorities.

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The US ambassador to Israel, Mike Huckabee, has denounced a settler attack that left the Washington Post photojournalist Heidi Levine badly beaten and needing surgery as a “despicable act of terror”.

Levine, 63, an award-winning journalist who lives in Israel, was set upon last Friday by masked Israeli settlers who used clubs and other weapons to attack Palestinian people attempting to harvest their olives.

The photographer, who is in hospital recovering from hand surgery, broken ribs and other injuries, said she was beaten for more than 10 minutes.

What else has Heidi Levine said about the attack? She said: “I was attacked, pushed to the ground.

Luckily, I had my flak jacket and helmet, otherwise I probably wouldn’t even be here, because they just kept kicking and kicking me.

I’ve been covering this region for over 40 years and I have never seen this country in such a state as it is today.

I’ve invested decades of blood, sweat and tears into this.

They cracked my bones, they haven’t cracked my spirit.” How have Israeli authorities responded ? In a move Levine said left her “shocked and insulted”, Israel’s prime minister, Benjamin Netanyahu, has been ambiguous in addressing the assault.

He said he condemned “violence against anyone” but referred to the attack as “alleged” and said its circumstances remained unclear.

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Demonstrators there have said they are unhappy with perceived corruption, a lack of jobs and poor education standards.