Rubio says US wants Israel to do more to deter West Bank settler attacks

WEST BANK — US Secretary of State Marco Rubio said on Saturday that Washington wants Israel to do more to deter attacks by settlers in the occupied West Bank, according to a Middle East Eye live blog update published on 18 October 2026.

The outlet's summary did not include Rubio's full remarks, the setting in which he spoke or any steps he asked Israel to take. Zenga News has not independently verified the statement.

Other West Bank developments reported

The same Middle East Eye update listed several other items about settler violence and Israeli military activity in the occupied West Bank. Each is attributed to the outlet or to the sources it cites.

Middle East Eye reported that Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on Saturday alleged a "smear" campaign against settlers. It said this came as an attack by Israeli settlers on a French mayor in the West Bank drew international condemnation.

French Foreign Minister Jean-Noel Barrot demanded on Saturday that Israel crack down on "criminal violence" after the mayor was attacked, according to the update.

The update also cited the Israeli daily Haaretz as reporting that the Israeli military sat on distress calls for nearly two hours. According to that report, activists had reported threats from settlers. The report said the military took no action until an attack on diplomats and others was over. Middle East Eye did not say whether the Israeli military had responded to the Haaretz report.

Middle East Eye further reported that Washington Post photojournalist Heidi Levine was attacked by Israeli settlers in the West Bank. Her daughter said Levine had undergone surgery on a finger that was nearly detached from her hand during the attack, according to the update.

Separately, the outlet cited the Palestinian news agency Wafa as saying Israeli soldiers stormed and searched homes in the town of Yasouf, east of Salfit.

Background

The update was a general morning roundup of developments across the region. It was not a standalone report on Rubio's comments.

Among its other items, Middle East Eye said US Vice President JD Vance stated that Washington was focused on securing a "long-term" and "verifiable commitment" from Iran not to rebuild its nuclear programme. It also cited Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi, via Press TV, as saying Tehran had presented a concrete seven-day plan to reopen the Strait of Hormuz.

The update said the United Kingdom Maritime Trade Operations agency reported a tugboat struck by two unidentified projectiles northeast of Khor Fakkan, off the United Arab Emirates. It also reported an attack on an LNG tanker by several people on a skiff off the Yemeni city of Al Mukalla.

In Yemen, the International Committee of the Red Cross said Houthi authorities had released 159 people detained in connection with the fighting, according to the update. Yemen's government forces said eight of their soldiers were killed in a battle in Lahj province.

The update also said Lebanon would send a military delegation to a US-backed trilateral meeting with Israel in Tampa, Florida, on Tuesday, according to President Joseph Aoun.

Zenga News has relied solely on the Middle East Eye update for this report. The outlet's summary gave no indication of how Israeli officials responded to Rubio's statement.