German public broadcaster Deutsche Welle said two of its journalists were pelted with large stones and chased by Israeli settlers while covering a planned protest in the Palestinian village of Sinjil, north of Ramallah, on Friday. The correspondent and cameraman, who were wearing clearly marked press vests, escaped unharmed, but the cameraman’s vehicle was badly damaged. DW Director General Peter Limbourg condemned the assault as “unjustifiable” and urged Israel to guarantee the safety of all media workers in the occupied West Bank, calling press freedom “an indispensable pillar of any democracy.” Germany’s ambassador to Israel, Steffen Seibert, and the German Journalists’ Association echoed the demand, describing the incident as “extremely worrying” amid rising settler violence. The Israeli military, responsible for security in the territory, said it was examining the report but had not yet commented publicly. DW said other international outlets, including AFP, the New York Times and the Washington Post, were in the area and also retreated for safety. Rights groups have documented a broader uptick in attacks on reporters in the West Bank; at least 13 journalists were injured in separate incidents in May. Media advocates warn that escalating violence and new security restrictions are tightening the operating environment for local and foreign press in the region.