Belgium Says Masked Settlers Attacked European Diplomats in West Bank Village of Taybeh

Since the olive harvest began earlier this month, at least four people have been killed and more than 100 injured in the West Bank, according to the Palestinian Health Ministry. Friday's beating of a Washington Post photographer was one of the worst incidents. Today, Oct. 17, the violence reached foreign diplomats.

The attack in Taybeh

Masked settlers attacked a group of European diplomats visiting the village of Taybeh, Belgian Foreign Minister Maxime Prevot said. The group included Belgium's consul general, French and Polish diplomats and Catholic representatives.

"A French mayor was assaulted and a Belgian vehicle damaged. Our team is safe," Prevot said.

No injuries to the diplomats beyond the assault on the French mayor have been described. Prevot has not said how many attackers were involved or what weapons, if any, they used.

Israel's response

The Israeli military called the attack a "severe act of violence." It also said the diplomats' visit had not been coordinated with it and that no soldiers were at the scene.

Israeli forces were not there, and the military says the visit was not coordinated with it.

Israeli police said they opened an investigation. "The Israel Police condemns violence of any kind and will work to complete these investigations until everyone who took part in these cases is brought to justice," the police statement said. No arrests have been announced.

Foreign Minister Gideon Saar posted on X: "I strongly condemn the severe acts of violence by Israeli rioters." He said his ministry was in contact with the ambassadors of the countries concerned.

Brussels wants sanctions

Prevot did not stop at condemnation. He tied the attack to what he called Israel's "illegal settlement policy" and pledged to push for further European Union sanctions.

"Israeli authorities must protect Palestinians as the 'occupying power,'" Prevot said. "Impunity for violent settlers must end."

That is Belgium's position, and it goes well beyond the Israeli government's framing of these incidents as acts by individual rioters. Jerusalem's stated line is that violence of any kind is condemned and will be prosecuted. Prevot and activists say the record shows otherwise.

Activists say Israeli authorities do little to stop the attacks, which involve weapons ranging from slingshots to guns. Israeli officials have not accepted that characterization in the statements issued so far.

The political backdrop

The attacks come less than two weeks before closely contested Israeli elections that could end Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's time in office. His government is the most nationalist and far-right in Israel's history. It faces domestic criticism over security failures and international criticism over its treatment of Palestinians in the West Bank and Gaza.

Attacking foreign diplomats is a different category of problem for Israel than attacks on villagers. Governments with ambassadors in Tel Aviv now have a direct, on-the-record incident involving their own officials. Belgium has said it will use it.

Two days of high-profile attacks have put pressure on the police investigation. The open questions are whether anyone from Taybeh or Friday's assault is arrested and charged, and whether Prevot can turn his pledge into a formal sanctions proposal among EU member states.