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Israeli settlers armed with clubs, rocks and a knife attacked a convoy of journalists in the West Bank on Saturday, the latest targeting of foreign journalists documenting the Israeli occupation. Four settlers have reportedly been detained over the attack. The convoy, which included CNN’s Jeremy Diamond, were accompanying the father of Palestinian American Saif Musallet to the site where he was beaten to death by Israeli settlers one year ago. To date, no one has been arrested for Musallet’s killing.

Independent journalist and Palestine solidarity activist Adele Shoko, who was in one of the cars, says the attack is part of an “unprecedented” escalation of settler activity in the occupied West Bank, taking place in so-called Area A, which is nominally under the full control of the Palestinian Authority. “Area C is almost entirely ethnically cleansed by the settlers backed by the Israeli state, and they moved to Area B, attacking big villages. But Area A is another level.”

We also speak with Jasper Nathaniel, who was also in the convoy and has been attacked multiple times while reporting in the occupied West Bank. He says pro-Israel advocates who accuse journalists, activists and other international observers of staging “publicity stunts” are downplaying how routine settler intimidation and violence has become. “If you spend enough time in the West Bank — and by enough time, I mean a couple days — something like that is going to happen to you,” says Nathaniel.

This is a rush transcript. Copy may not be in its final form.

AMY GOODMAN: This is Democracy Now!, democracynow.org. I’m Amy Goodman, as we turn to the occupied West Bank, where Israeli settlers armed with clubs, rocks and a knife on Saturday attacked a group of journalists, including CNN’s Jeremy Diamond. Four settlers have been reportedly detained for their alleged involvement in the attack.

Israeli Settlers Attack CNN Journalists Investigating Killing of Musallet

It happened exactly a year after the murder of 20-year-old Palestinian American Saif Musallet, who was beaten to death by Israeli settlers. To date, no one’s been arrested for his killing. He was born in Florida, worked at his family’s ice cream shop there.

The journalists were accompanying his dad back to the site of his son’s death. As they left, their cars were attacked by the settlers, chased out of town. In a minute, we’ll be joined by two of the journalists. But first, this is the video footage of the attack shared with Democracy Now! The voices you hear are our next guests, Adele Shoko and Jasper Nathaniel. In the video, you see the settlers attempting to slash the tires of the armored CNN vehicle and then breaking the windshield of the separate car carrying the other journalists. The video is courtesy of independent journalist Andrey X, who was sitting in the back.

JASPER NATHANIEL: He’s saying “stop.” ADELE SHOKO: Whoa! He’s ready to throw a rock. Look. He’s threatening with a rock. JASPER NATHANIEL: They are not letting us pass. The guy is standing in front of the car in front of us, the CNN car, not letting him pass. And they’re holding up rocks. … Yeah, we need to fly behind them. Oh, he’s got a knife. He’s going for the tire. ADELE SHOKO: Oh my god! GABRIELE MICALIZZI: Go. Go. Go. Go. ADELE SHOKO: Oh [bleep]! No, no, no, no, no! He’s going to our car. JASPER NATHANIEL: Go. Drive. Drive. ADELE SHOKO: No! No! No! JASPER NATHANIEL: Drive. Move! Move! GABRIELE MICALIZZI: Move. JASPER NATHANIEL: Get the [bleep] out of the way! Move! Move! Move! GABRIELE MICALIZZI: Move. Move. ANDREY X: Drive. Drive. Drive. Drive. Drive. JASPER NATHANIEL: Move! ANDREY X: Go. Go. Go. JASPER NATHANIEL: Watch out! Watch out!

JASPER NATHANIEL: He’s saying “stop.”

ADELE SHOKO: Whoa! He’s ready to throw a rock. Look. He’s threatening with a rock.

JASPER NATHANIEL: They are not letting us pass. The guy is standing in front of the car in front of us, the CNN car, not letting him........

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