Israeli settlers attacked a convoy of European diplomats in the West Bank on Saturday, beating a visiting French mayor and damaging vehicles, according to witnesses and diplomats. The incident occurred near the Palestinian olive harvest season, a time of heightened tensions in the region. The 78-year-old mayor was hit with iron bars and subjected to verbal abuse by masked settlers who yelled defamatory comments about France.
The Israeli military condemned the violence, but the prime minister's office called it part of a "smear" campaign against Israel. Belgian authorities blamed Israel's "illegal settlement policy" for the attack and pledged to push for further European Union sanctions. Videos circulating online showed masked men confronting vehicles during the visit, with images of a broken window on one of the diplomatic cars.
Belgium’s foreign minister expressed concern over the attack, linking it to broader issues of settler activity in the West Bank. The incident has raised questions about the safety of diplomatic missions in the region. Israeli police are investigating the alleged assault on European diplomats, though no arrests have been made.
The attack comes amid ongoing tensions between Israeli settlers and Palestinian communities, particularly during the olive harvest season when land disputes often escalate. Witnesses and diplomats described the violence as a new escalation in the conflict. The French mayor, after being beaten, said he would return to his country and warned that those who continue to suffer are those who remain in the West Bank.
