European diplomats attacked by Israeli settlers in West Bank
European diplomats from Belgium, France, and Poland were attacked by masked Israeli settlers while assessing olive harvests in Taybeh village near Ramallah.
Stock photo for illustration only, not from the actual event
- European diplomats attacked by masked Israeli settlers in the occupied West Bank
- Delegation was visiting Taybeh village to assess conditions during the olive harvest
- Belgium and France strongly condemn the assault and demand justice
- Israeli Prime Minister's office questions the sequence of events and cites a smear campaign
A delegation comprising European diplomats has been targeted and assaulted by masked Israeli settlers in the occupied West Bank. The diplomatic group had travelled to the predominantly Christian village of Taybeh, located near Ramallah, with the objective of evaluating conditions on the ground following a surge of nearly daily attacks by Israeli settlers against Palestinians attempting to gather their olive harvest.
Footage captured at the location revealed masked individuals confronting the diplomatic convoy, accompanied by reports of stones being hurled at the vehicles. Belgian authorities confirmed that a car belonging to their consulate sustained a smashed window during the confrontation, while a French municipal official was assaulted and captured on video lying slumped beside a vehicle.
Stock photo for illustration only, not from the actual event
Bernard Baudoux, a left-wing mayor from Aulnoye-Aymeries in northern France who sustained injuries in the incident, told the AFP news agency that the attack demonstrated a tacit tolerance by Israel's right-wing government toward settler violence. The mayor stated that the perpetrators kicked him, beat him with iron bars, and threw him to the ground.
The assault unfolded just a day after multiple Palestinians and Heidi Levine, a Washington Post photographer, suffered injuries during a separate attack by settlers in a different West Bank village. The escalation has drawn sharp international reactions, particularly from the European governments whose representatives were targeted in the incident.
The recurring violence in the West Bank during the annual olive harvest underscores deep-rooted territorial tensions and the vulnerabilities faced by local farmers. When diplomatic missions and international journalists become direct targets, the incident shifts from a localized dispute into a broader diplomatic crisis that intensifies scrutiny on security enforcement in occupied territories.
Maxime Prevot, Belgium's foreign minister, issued a strong condemnation of the attack, emphasizing that Israel bears the responsibility as an occupying power to protect Palestinians, secure the safety of diplomats and journalists, and bring wrongdoers to justice.
"Palestinians face this violence every day. Settlers also target journalists reporting on it and diplomats. Harvesting olives, reporting the news or carrying out diplomatic duties should never put anyone at risk of attack."
Maxime Prevot
The Israel Defense Forces (IDF) also condemned the severe act of violence in the Taybeh area, stating that an initial inquiry indicated no soldiers were stationed at the scene during the incident and confirming that an investigation is underway. Meanwhile, the office of Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu expressed skepticism regarding the reported sequence of events, suggesting the incident formed part of a coordinated campaign designed to smear Israel.
Source: BBC World
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