In brief
Belgium’s consul general and other European envoys were assaulted by masked settlers in Taybeh, west of Ramallah. Belgium, France and the Catholic Church condemned the act and called for swift justice, while Israel’s Defense Forces and Foreign Ministry said they were investigating. The incident comes amid rising tensions over the annual olive harvest, with the Israeli government questioning the narrative of the attack. Local police and forensic teams are working to identify perpetrators, and European governments are urging EU sanctions against attackers.
European diplomats were assaulted by masked Israeli settlers in the largely Christian village of Taybeh, near Ramallah, after an attempt to collect olive harvests. The convoy, which included Belgium, France, Poland and the Catholic Church, was attacked and a Belgian consular car had a smashed window, eyewitness videos showed stones being thrown.
Belgium’s foreign minister, Maxime Prevot, condemned the attack as “severe violence” and urged Israel to bring those responsible to justice. France also denounced the assault, with a French mayor badly wounded. The IDF described the incident as “the severe act of violence” and said its soldiers were not present at the scene; investigations are underway.
Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s office criticised media reports, saying the picture was incomplete and urged caution in drawing conclusions. It pledged a forensic investigation and warned of a coordinated smear campaign against Israel during the harvest season.
The attack followed a separate incident a day earlier in another West Bank village where Palestinians and a photographer were wounded by settlers. The cumulative incidents heighten tensions amid calls for stronger protections for diplomats and journalists in the region.
