European diplomats, Palestinian civilians and a visiting French mayor were attacked by Israeli settlers in the occupied West Bank, prompting condemnation from officials and calls for accountability.
The incident occurred on Saturday (October 17) in the Palestinian village of Taybeh, where masked settlers targeted a group that included Belgium’s consul general to the Palestinians, French and Polish diplomats, and Catholic representatives, Belgian Foreign Minister Maxime Prévot said.
French mayor Bernard Baudoux, who was participating in olive harvesting activities in solidarity with the local Palestinian community, was also assaulted. A vehicle belonging to the Belgian diplomatic mission was damaged during the incident.
Prévot condemned the attacks and called on Israeli authorities to protect Palestinians, diplomats and journalists, urging that those responsible be brought to justice. He also said Belgium would continue pushing for European Union sanctions against those responsible for the violence.
Israel’s Foreign Minister Gideon Sa’ar condemned the incident, describing the perpetrators as Israeli rioters. However, he said the diplomatic visit had not been coordinated with the Israeli military, adding that such coordination could have helped protect those involved.
Israeli police have opened an investigation into the incident.
The attack came a day after Israeli settlers assaulted Palestinians harvesting olives in another part of the West Bank, seriously injuring Washington Post photojournalist Heidi Levine, who was covering the activity.
The incidents have renewed concerns over escalating settler violence during the annual Palestinian olive harvest, a vital source of income for many farming communities. (Newswire)
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