JERUSALEM: US Ambassador Mike Huckabee demanded that Israel prosecute and jail the assailants in a West Bank settler attack against a Washington Post journalist. "Attacking a female photographer is a despicable act of terror carried out by masked cowards," Huckabee wrote on X, taking a far stronger tone than an earlier statement from Washington. Huckabee, a staunch ally of Israel who has nonetheless sharply criticized settler attacks against Americans, did not identify the culprits as settlers, after Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu tried to sow doubt as to their identity. "Details of who is under investigation, but those who attacked an unarmed reporter should spend years in prison," Huckabee said. "We have called for a full investigation, arrest, and prosecution to the fullest extent of the law against whoever participated in this." Heidi Levine, a veteran photographer, was taken to hospital with broken vertebrae. She had been covering Palestinians' annual harvest of olives, which has been repeatedly disrupted by Israeli settlers. Settlers beat her and stole her passport, telephone, wallet and equipment, according to witnesses. Netanyahu, who wants to shore up his pro-settlement right-wing base ahead of close-fought Oct. 27 elections, on Friday insisted that Palestinians or "far-left" activists may have been responsible. The US State Department on Friday took a cautious tone on Levine's beating, saying it condemns "criminal violence by any party." Levine was recovering Sunday from injuries that included what appeared to be stab wounds in her buttocks, which required stitches. There was nothing new from police on the case, she said. Levine, from her hospital bed, has said she was “shocked and insulted” that Netanyahu referred to the attack on her and others as alleged, adding that the prime minister “had all the evidence on the table.” But she described the sharp condemnation of settler violence expressed to her in a call from Israel’s president, and in a letter signed by several of the country’s top former security and intelligence officials. All expressed shame over the attack. Levine blamed “Jewish terrorists” for Thursday's attack and added: “I’ve been covering this region for over 40 years, and I have never seen this country in such a state as it is today.” Netanyahu on Sunday thanked US President Donald Trump for his support ahead of the country's parliamentary elections. "Thank you, President Trump, for your tremendous support and for our work together. Together we will complete the mission!" Netanyahu wrote on his X account.