Speaking from her hospital bed after undergoing surgery at Beilinson Hospital near Tel Aviv, Levine rejected Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's claim that footage showed a settler helping her up after she was knocked down. Levine called Netanyahu's suggestion "such a lie and the biggest insult," adding, "They were actually trying to rob me further." Israeli President Isaac Herzog earlier called Levine to apologize and condemn the attack as "despicable behavior."
Levine suffered four broken vertebrae, a broken rib, lacerations and a nearly severed finger on Friday when around 80 masked settlers burned olive trees, threw rocks and attacked Palestinian olive harvesters in the village of Abu Falah near Ramallah, injuring at least six people. Wearing a helmet and a vest marked "PRESS," Levine said she was clubbed, kicked "probably 50 times" over 10 minutes, and stripped of her cameras, phone and bag while Israeli soldiers fired tear gas and shot a Palestinian man.