Israel condemns West Bank attack on European delegation

Israeli officials condemned a West Bank attack on European visitors, as France urged arrests over an assault on a French mayor.

Belgium’s Deputy Prime Minister, Maxime Prevot, said Saturday’s attack involved diplomats representing Belgium, France and Poland, alongside Palestinians and Catholic representatives. He reported an assault on a French mayor and damage to a vehicle belonging to Belgium.

The incident occurred in Taybeh, a village with a predominantly Christian population that has faced repeated settler attacks. Israel’s military and Foreign Minister Gideon Sa’ar attributed the violence to Israeli rioters and condemned it; Israeli authorities said police were investigating.

France demands arrests after mayor’s assault

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s office identified the mayor as Bernard Baudoux, who leads Aulnoye-Aymeries in northern France. Jean-Noël Barrot, France’s minister for Europe and foreign affairs, attributed the assault to extremist settlers in a social-media statement and demanded that Israeli authorities arrest the perpetrators.

Poland’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs offered a narrower account of its delegation’s experience. A spokesman said Polish diplomats were traveling with the convoy when it came under attack, but suffered no injuries and apparently were not specifically targeted.

The Israeli military said the European visitors had not arranged their trip in coordination with it. The military described such coordination as necessary to help prevent similar incidents, while separately condemning the attackers.

Netanyahu rejected violence directed at diplomats but warned against “premature conclusions.” His government has also maintained that accounts of settler attacks are overstated to damage Israel’s reputation, a characterization distinct from the condemnations issued over Taybeh.

Settler attacks deepen security dispute

The United Nations humanitarian office, which tracks settler violence, says reported incidents have increased annually over the past decade. It also records an acceleration following the Hamas-led assault on Israel on October 7, 2023.

The office identifies the autumn olive-picking season as a recurring period of increased attacks. Palestinians tending their groves face both assaults and attempts by settlers to block access, according to its account.

Israeli security officials have linked the violence to hundreds of young men and boys, including people associated with the Hilltop Youth network. Those officials describe a movement whose members often occupy unauthorized outposts and seek to displace Palestinians to make room for Jewish settlement.

Netanyahu has characterized those responsible as a limited group of juvenile offenders. Gadi Eisenkot, a political opponent who previously headed Israel’s military, has instead described violence in the territory as “Jewish terror” and a threat to Israel’s security.

Settlement legality divides Israel and partners

Most governments regard Israeli settlements in the occupied West Bank as illegal, a position Israel rejects. Unauthorized outposts have a separate status under Israeli law: Israel itself considers them illegal, and its authorities regularly remove them.

For the European governments responding to Taybeh, the immediate issue is the safety of their representatives and the treatment of those accompanying them. Poland has condemned the incident, while France’s demand for arrests places the focus on enforcement rather than condemnation alone.

The police investigation is the next stated institutional step. Whether it leads to arrests remains unresolved; France has explicitly called for those responsible for the assault on Baudoux to be detained.