European diplomats and a US journalist attacked by settlers in the occupied West Bank

RAMALLAH, occupied West Bank — The European Union on Sunday condemned attacks by Israeli settlers on European diplomats, Palestinian farmers and a journalist in the occupied West Bank, according to Al Jazeera. The attacks came during the olive harvest.

Al Jazeera reported a surge in settler attacks in recent weeks. It said they have escalated just before Israel holds elections on October 27.

The attack near Taybeh

On Saturday, settlers confronted a European delegation visiting Palestinian olive harvesters near the village of Taybeh, Al Jazeera reported. Belgian Foreign Minister Maxime Prevot said the settlers targeted Belgium's consul general, French and Polish diplomats and Catholic representatives.

"A French mayor was assaulted and a Belgian vehicle damaged," Prevot said. He linked the incident to Israel's "illegal settlement policy" and said he would push for further EU sanctions.

The mayor, Bernard Baudoux, told AFP the attack suggests "there is a tolerance on the part of the Israeli government" towards settler violence.

Video shared by activist Amit Orfali shows Baudoux sitting on the ground and leaning against a vehicle, according to Al Jazeera. Other clips show masked young men knocking on a car window and asking for identification. Masked men carrying sticks are seen in the distance. Orfali said the men "threatened to kill us".

French Foreign Minister Jean-Noel Barrot called on Israel to arrest the "extremist settlers" and bring them to justice. In a post on X, he said Israel must "guarantee the safety of civilian populations".

Israeli response

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's office said on X that the reports were "alleged" and required "compelling evidence", according to Al Jazeera. The outlet noted that the office acknowledged published footage of the incident exists.

The EU said it noted statements by several Israeli representatives who condemned the attacks. "We expect full accountability as well as effective measures to prevent continued acts of violence," it said in a statement. It referred to violence against Palestinians during the harvest and against journalists.

Attack on a journalist

Heidi Levine, 64, an American journalist who freelances for the Washington Post, was also attacked on Saturday, according to Al Jazeera. Witnesses said she fell to the ground and was then beaten.

Independent journalist Jasper Nathaniel told Al Jazeera he saw people surrounding her, "beating her, clubbing her, robbing her". Levine told reporters her attackers "just kept kicking me and kicking me, like probably 50 times".

She was wearing a vest marked "PRESS". The Washington Post reported that her cameras and phone were taken.

Farmer injured in Burqa

In a separate account, Quds News Network said in a post on Telegram that Palestinian-American farmer Haitham Nawabit, 47, needed about 200 stitches for head injuries. The channel said settlers assaulted him while he harvested olives in Burqa, northeast of Ramallah. This account is unverified.

The post quoted Nawabit as saying about 50 settlers attacked farmers with stones and clubs. He said he lost consciousness and later saw five settlers beating him with sticks. The channel reported injuries to his head, hands, legs and back.

Background

The olive harvest each autumn brings Palestinian farmers into areas near settlements and often into contact with settlers. Al Jazeera said this was not the first time settlers had assaulted foreign officials or prominent Palestinians in the West Bank. Israel has not yet responded in the sources to the individual reports beyond the statements cited above.