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A photograph capturing an Israeli settler in military uniform mocking a Palestinian woman during the October 2025 olive harvest in the occupied West Bank has sparked global outrage.
The image, captured by Italian journalist Pietro Masturzo on Oct. 12, 2025, recently resurfaced and gained massive traction on social media after being featured on the cover of the Italian magazine L'Espresso.
Taken in Al-Khalil in the southern West Bank, the photograph highlights the behaviour of the settler, who is occupying Palestinian land, specifically focusing on his mocking smile and the condescending way he looks at the Palestinian woman.
Since the start of the Gaza war in October 2023, attacks by the Israeli army and occupiers in the West Bank have killed at least 1,133 Palestinians, wounded about 11,700 others, and led to nearly 22,000 arrests, according to Palestinian figures.
In a landmark opinion in July 2024, the International Court of Justice declared Israel’s occupation of Palestinian territory illegal and called for the evacuation of all settlements in the West Bank and East Jerusalem.
Sharing video footage from the day of the incident on his Facebook account, Masturzo recounted the story behind the photo, which was taken on the first day of the olive harvest west of Hebron.
"Right at the start of the harvest, an armed group of Israeli settlers—some wearing military uniforms like the man in the photo—arrived alongside soldiers and prevented the Palestinians from harvesting their own olives," Masturzo explained.
"The facial expression of the settler in the photo occurred as he repeatedly mimicked the sounds the Palestinian woman used to herd her flock, essentially addressing the Palestinians as if they were animals."
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L'Espresso's publication of the photo under the headline "Abuse," accompanied by the statement, "Zionists are shaping Israel through ethnic cleansing and massacres," provoked a strong backlash from Israel.
Initially, Israeli commentators dismissed the photograph, claiming it was likely AI-generated. However, after Masturzo released original video footage confirming the event, the Israeli narrative shifted to accusations of antisemitism.
Israel's Ambassador to Rome Jonathan Peled also weighed in on the social media platform X. He accused L'Espresso of using the image manipulatively, claiming, "This image distorts the complex reality in which Israel is forced to coexist, fueling stereotypes and hatred."
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