Masked Israeli settlers allegedly attacked European diplomats, Palestinian civilians and a French mayor in the occupied West Bank, prompting condemnation from several European officials.
The incident occurred on Saturday in the Palestinian Christian village of Taybeh, where diplomats from Belgium, France and Poland were visiting alongside Catholic representatives. Belgium’s Foreign Minister, Maxime Prévot, said the group was targeted and a Belgian vehicle was damaged during the incident.
Bernard Baudoux, mayor of Aulnoye-Aymeries in northern France, said he was knocked to the ground while participating in an olive harvest in solidarity with Palestinian farmers.
Prévot condemned the violence and urged Israeli authorities to protect Palestinians, diplomats and journalists. He also reaffirmed Belgium’s commitment to pursuing European Union sanctions against settlers responsible for such attacks.
Poland’s Foreign Ministry likewise condemned the incident, describing attacks on diplomatic personnel as unacceptable.
Israeli Foreign Minister Gideon Saar condemned the violence and confirmed that police had opened an investigation. However, he noted that the diplomatic visit had not been coordinated with the Israeli military in advance.
The incident comes amid growing concerns over settler violence in the West Bank during the annual olive harvest, when Palestinian farmers face increasing difficulties accessing and harvesting their land. On Friday, Washington Post photojournalist Heidi Levine was also hospitalised after being assaulted by masked settlers while covering Palestinian farmers.
The latest attacks have renewed international calls for stronger protection of civilians, journalists and foreign officials in the occupied territory.
Reporting by Borderless for The Borderless Journal. Filed under Uncategorized · 18 Oct 2026, 17:00.
