Israeli settlers attacked a group of European diplomats in the occupied West Bank on Saturday, a day after veteran Washington Post journalist Heidi Levine was assaulted and required surgery. The diplomats, reportedly from France, Belgium and Poland, were attacked in Taybeh, a Palestinian Christian village east of Ramallah, according to Israeli media and the official Palestinian news agency Wafa.
Belgian Foreign Minister Maxime Prevot condemned the attack and linked it to Israeli policies in the West Bank. He said the group also included Catholic representatives. "As the occupying power, Israeli authorities must protect Palestinians, ensure the safety of diplomats and journalists, and bring those responsible to justice," Prevot said in a statement on X. "Impunity for violent settlers must end."
Videos from the scene showed a French official, identified as Aulnoye-Aymeries mayor Bernard Baudoux, sitting on the ground beside a vehicle with a smashed window. Other footage showed masked settlers, some carrying clubs or riding all-terrain vehicles, blocking roads in front of the diplomatic group and demanding identification.
Hussein al-Sheikh, vice-president of the Palestinian Authority, called on the international community to hold Israel responsible. "This is a miniature model of the scale of the daily terrorism to which our Palestinian people are subjected, and it requires a firm international stance that imposes international protection for the Palestinian people," he said.
Israeli Foreign Minister Gideon Sa’ar said he strongly condemned "the severe acts of violence by Israeli rioters". He added that the foreign ministry was in contact with the ambassadors of the countries involved and was assisting law enforcement authorities. The Israel Defense Forces said no soldiers were present in the area when the attack took place and that the visit had not been coordinated with the military. "The IDF strongly condemns the severe act of violence that took place in the area of Taybeh, during which diplomatic representatives were attacked by Israeli rioters," it said. Israeli police are investigating the incident.
The assault on the diplomats came a day after Levine was attacked while accompanying a group of Palestinians at the start of the annual olive harvest. She was hospitalised and required surgery. Levine said her camera and passport were stolen during the incident, which lasted about 10 minutes, and that she was wearing a protective vest clearly identifying her as press.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, who has repeatedly downplayed settler violence, said Israel "unequivocally condemns violence against anyone". He did not specifically condemn the masked and armed settlers seen in video footage of the assault on Levine.