Netanyahu demands proof of settler attack on diplomats

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on Saturday urged caution before drawing conclusions about the earlier Israeli settlers' attack on a group of European diplomats in the West Bank, noting that "serious accusations require serious evidence."

In an official statement posted by his office, Netanyahu said that "any violence against diplomats is unacceptable." He noted that one of the attacked diplomats was Bernard Baudoux, "a French Communist Party mayor who previously raised the Palestinian flag over his municipal building." Furthermore, he said that the diplomats did not inform the Israeli authorities about the visit to a "sensitive area with a history of confrontations."

Netanyahu stressed the possibility of a "coordinated campaign to smear Israel," warning that the reputational damage to the country may already be done by the time the facts are established.

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• Israeli Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu