Israeli settlers attack European diplomats in West Bank, 3 injured

A delegation of European diplomats, including a French mayor, was attacked by masked Israeli settlers near the Palestinian village of Taybeh in the occupied West Bank. The delegation was attacked while visiting Palestinian olive harvesters on Saturday. Three of them were injured and a car damaged in the attack. According to the local media, the diplomats, were from France, Belgium and Poland.

The diplomats were visiting the place to assess the situation on the ground after almost near daily attacks by Israeli settlers on Palestinians trying to bring in their olive harvest.

Belgium condemned the assault and called for Israel to immediately bring those responsible to justice.

“As the occupying power, Israeli authorities must protect Palestinians, ensure the safety of diplomats and journalists, and bring those responsible to justice,” said Belgium’s Foreign Minister Maxime Prevot in a statement on X.

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While Poland said, “We are deeply outraged by this incident and condemn it in the strongest possible terms."

The Israel Defense Forces (IDF) also condemned the incident as "severe act of violence" and said they were investigating. However, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's office cast doubt on what happened and said it was part of a "coordinated campaign to smear Israel".

According to IDF there were no soldiers in the area when the diplomats visited the area as the visit had not been coordinated with the military.

The attack on the diplomats comes a day after settlers attacked veteran Washington Post journalist Heidi Levine in another village in the West Bank as she accompanied a group of Palestinians for the start of the annual olive harvest. The assault caused injuries to Levine, who had to undergo a surgery, reported CNN. She also claimed that her passport and camera were stolen.