US 'very disturbed' by attack on American journalist in occupied West Bank: Rubio

"We've asked the Israelis and continue to ask them to crack down on that stuff," Rubio said, referring to the attack on photojournalist Heidi Levine.

He said that US President Donald Trump "has been very clear" that he did not want to see "friction" or a new crisis in the West Bank.

Rubio said the US had contacted its embassy to gather more information about the incident. He added that media reports indicated Levine had been beaten after being caught in an attack by groups of Israeli occupiers.

"It didn't look good," he said, describing the incident as "disturbing."

Asked about Trump's decision to lift sanctions against Israeli occupiers on his first day in office last year, Rubio said the move did not mean the president supported such attacks.

"Lifting sanctions ... does not mean he's a supporter of what he's seeing now on television, what he's reading about," he said.

Rubio added that Washington was closely monitoring concerns over violence during the olive harvest season in the occupied West Bank, noting that the period traditionally draws many people to the area.

He also said similar concerns could arise in Lebanon.

Meanwhile, US Ambassador to Israel Mike Huckabee called on Israeli authorities to prosecute and imprison those responsible for the attack on Levine.

"Attacking a female photographer is a despicable act of terror carried out by masked cowards," Huckabee wrote on US social media company X on Saturday.

"Those who attacked unarmed reporter should spend (years) in prison," he added, calling for a full investigation and the arrest and prosecution of everyone involved "to the fullest extent of the law."

Levine was covering the annual Palestinian olive harvest in the occupied West Bank on Friday when Israeli occupiers attacked her and several Palestinians.

Witnesses said the occupiers stormed the area, beat Levine and took her passport, phone, wallet and camera equipment.

Levine said the attackers, who were armed with bottles and slingshots, “were kicking me for like 10 minutes, and I was trying to hold onto my cameras and my bag.”