European diplomats, a US journalist and Palestinian farmers were attacked by settlers in the occupied West Bank as violence surged during the olive harvest season.
01Summary
- 01On Saturday, settlers attacked a delegation of European diplomats near the village of Taybeh, including Belgium’s consul general, French and Polish diplomats and Catholic representatives.
- 02Belgian Foreign Minister Maxime Prevot said a French mayor was assaulted and a Belgian vehicle damaged, and France’s Jean-Noel Barrot urged Israel to arrest the attackers.
- 03Veteran Washington Post freelancer Heidi Levine, 64, was attacked while covering Palestinian olive pickers and later taken to hospital in Ramallah.
- 04Witnesses said settlers also beat AFP photographer Jaafar Ashtiyeh, 58, near Aqraba, south of Nablus, leaving him with bruises and requiring an ambulance.
- 05The EU condemned the attacks on Sunday, while Benjamin Netanyahu’s office said the reports were alleged and called for more evidence and an investigation.
02Why it matters
The attacks show a sharp rise in settler violence against Palestinians and even foreign officials in the occupied West Bank. They also raise fresh pressure on Israel over the safety of civilians, journalists and diplomats during the olive harvest.
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