In brief
In a harrowing incident near Ramallah, a convoy of European diplomats was confronted by masked settlers who launched stones and attacked vehicles. Belgium’s foreign minister condemned the attack, urging Israel to hold perpetrators accountable, while France called it “appalling.” Israeli officials claimed the incident was part of a smear campaign, but the IDF condemned the violence and began an investigation. The attack follows a string of settler assaults on Palestinians and journalists during the local olive harvest.
A delegation of European diplomats has been attacked by masked Israeli settlers in the occupied West Bank.
Belgium condemned the assault on its consul general and the other envoys, while France decried the attack as "appalling". Both called for Israel to bring those responsible to justice.
The Israel Defense Forces (IDF) also condemned what they called "the severe act of violence" and said they were investigating.
But the office of Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu cast doubt on the incident, suggesting it was part of a "co‑ordinated campaign to smear Israel".
The attack came only a day after a number of Palestinians and Washington Post photographer Heidi Levine were injured in a separate assault by settlers in another West Bank village.
US Secretary of State Marco Rubio said the attack on Levine was "disturbing" and "not a good look".
It was also condemned by US ambassador to Israel Mike Huckabee, who called it a "despicable act of terror carried out by masked cowards". He added that the assailants must face "prosecution to the fullest extent of the law".
In Saturday’s incident, the diplomats – from Belgium, France, Poland and the Catholic Church – had come to the largely Christian village of Taybeh near Ramallah to assess the situation after daily attacks on Palestinians bringing in their olive harvest.
Video footage shows masked settlers confronting the convoy, with stones thrown at the vehicles. Belgian authorities reported the window of a consular car was smashed and a French mayor was assaulted.
Belgium’s foreign minister Maxime Prevot condemned the attack, urging Israel to bring those responsible to justice and to ensure the safety of diplomats, journalists and Palestinians.
Belgium will continue to press for EU sanctions against those responsible for the violence, Prevot said.
Brazil’s foreign minister Jean‑Noël Barrot echoed the sentiment, calling for urgent action from Israeli authorities to halt the criminal violence and guarantee safety for civilians.
Poland’s foreign affairs ministry called for a firm response from Israel and an end to the spiral of violence in the West Bank.
The EU condemned the attacks, urging Israel to abide by international and human‑rights law and to stop the expansion of settlements.
Gideon Sa’ar, Israel’s foreign minister, said he strongly condemned the violence by what he called "Israeli rioters" and was in contact with the ambassadors of the affected countries.
The IDF said it "strongly condemns the severe act of violence" that took place in Taybeh, noting that no IDF soldiers were present at the scene at that time.
Netanyahu’s office urged caution before drawing conclusions, stating that images on social media do not establish the complete sequence of events or individual responsibility, and that an investigation is underway to identify those responsible.
