Polish diplomats caught in settler attack on Europeans in West Bank

Masked Israeli settlers attacked a group of European diplomats on Saturday during a visit to the occupied West Bank, Belgium’s foreign minister Maxime Prevot said. The attackers targeted Belgium’s consul general, French and Polish diplomats and Catholic representatives in Taybeh, about 5 kilometres northeast of Jerusalem.

Prevot said a French mayor was assaulted and a Belgian vehicle was damaged. “Our team is safe,” he said. He blamed what he called Israel’s “illegal settlement policy” for the attack and pledged to push for further European Union sanctions. He said Israeli authorities must protect Palestinians as the “occupying power,” and added: “Impunity for violent settlers must end.”

Israel’s military called Saturday’s attack on the diplomats a “severe act of violence,” but said the visit had not been coordinated with it and that no soldiers were at the scene. Israeli police said they had opened an investigation. “The Israel Police condemns violence of any kind and will work to complete these investigations until everyone who took part in these cases is brought to justice,” the police said.

Israel’s foreign minister Gideon Saar wrote on X: “I strongly condemn the severe acts of violence by Israeli rioters.” He said his ministry was in contact with ambassadors from the countries concerned.

The attack followed assaults on Palestinian farmers and others on Friday, when Israeli settlers attacked at least eight villages in the northern West Bank. The violence comes during the annual olive harvest, when Palestinian farmers face heightened settler violence while reaching their land. In 2025, the United Nations recorded 178 olive harvest-related settler attacks. The Palestinian Health Ministry said at least four people have been killed and more than 100 injured since this year’s harvest began.

Prime minister Benjamin Netanyahu faces closely contested elections in less than two weeks, amid growing criticism of his government’s handling of security and its treatment of Palestinians.