Meead Abu al-Rub speaks to MEE about the Italian magazine cover that has made her famous, and about what armed Israeli settlers did that day

<article data-history-node-id="438505" about="https://www.middleeasteye.net/live-blog/live-blog-update/palestinian-woman-cover-lespresso-settlers-were-ready-kill-us" class="live-blog-update default clearfix"> <h2> <a href="https://www.middleeasteye.net/live-blog/live-blog-update/palestinian-woman-cover-lespresso-settlers-were-ready-kill-us" rel="bookmark"> <span class="field field-title">The Palestinian woman on the cover of L'Espresso: Settlers were ready to kill us</span> </a> </h2> <div class="content"> <div class="field field-field-text"><p>Meead Abu al-Rub is watching the&nbsp;<a href="https://www.middleeasteye.net/news/israeli-envoy-italy-calls-magazine-antisemitic-over-settler-violence-coverage" target="_blank">widely circulated&nbsp;</a>video footage of her being harassed and abused by&nbsp;<a href="https://www.middleeasteye.net/countries/israel" target="_blank">Israeli</a>&nbsp;settlers last October during the olive harvest season.&nbsp;</p> <p>The 35-year-old&nbsp;<a href="https://www.middleeasteye.net/countries/palestine" target="_blank">Palestinian</a>, who is now known around the world after a picture of her being taunted by one of the settlers appeared on the cover of Italian magazine L’Espresso, recalls what happened that day.</p> <p>“Some of the settlers were wearing military uniforms and carrying weapons,” Meead tells Middle East Eye. “They threatened us, insulted us, and filmed us. The settler who was filming me with his phone was threatening to arrest us all, even though we had not done anything wrong and they were the ones who attacked us.”&nbsp;</p> <p>The video and photos were taken on 12 October 2025, when Meead, a lawyer with the Colonization and Wall Resistance Commission, and several other activists were peacefully demonstrating against the possible confiscation of Palestinian land in the Suba area of Idhna, southwest of Hebron in the occupied West Bank.</p> <p>On the L’Espresso cover photo, the settler, armed and wearing military uniform, is seen laughing at Meead as he films her with his phone.</p> <h3>Read more:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.middleeasteye.net/news/palestinian-woman-cover-lespresso-settlers-were-ready-kill-us">The Palestinian woman on the cover of L'Espresso: Settlers were ready to kill us</a></h3> <p><img alt src="https://www.middleeasteye.net/sites/default/files/styles/max_2600x2600/public/images-story/Pietro%20Masturzo%20settler.jpg.jpg?itok=twUZ_aNG"></p> <section>&nbsp;</section> </div> </div> </article>

MEE spoke to Palestinian lawyer Meead Abu al-Rub about the widely circulated L'Espresso magazine cover that has brought her international attention after she was filmed being harassed by Israeli settlers during an olive harvest in October 2025. The 35-year-old Palestinian, who works with the Wall and Settlement Authority, said she was documenting a peaceful land-related activity in the Soba area of Idna al-Khalil when the situation escalated, with settlers and Israeli forces moving in to intimidate participants and force the event to stop. Abu Al-Rub armed settlers and soldiers confronted the group within minutes, describing threats, intimidation and the use of tear gas that led organisers and landowners to withdraw for safety reasons.

Il 12 dicembre 1969 la terza dei miei figli aveva 20 giorni. La notizia della bomba a piazza Fontana arrivò a casa come un fulmine, abitavamo vicino. Il giorno dopo, il giornale per cui lavoravo, Il M...

YouTube video by Middle East Eye

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