A delegation of European diplomats visiting the occupied West Bank was attacked by masked Israeli settlers on Saturday, prompting diplomatic condemnation and demands for legal accountability. The diplomats—representing Belgium, France, Poland, and the Catholic Church—had traveled to the largely Christian village of Taybeh, located near Ramallah, to assess ongoing conditions following near-daily settler assaults against Palestinians harvesting olives in the region.
During the incident, masked assailants confronted the diplomatic convoy, throwing stones and smashing a window of a vehicle belonging to the Belgian consulate. Video footage captured at the site showed a man wearing a French tricolor sash slumped beside a vehicle. The injured official was identified as Bernard Baudoux, the left-wing mayor of the northern French town of Aulnoye-Aymeries. Baudoux recounted that attackers targeted him with severe violence, kicking him and beating him with iron bars until he fell to the ground.
Reflecting on the assault, Baudoux expressed shock at the aggression. "It's the gratuitous nature of the violence that stuns me," he said. "They arrived completely enraged." He stressed the need for global awareness of the situation. "The whole world needs to know what's happening there. For me, I'll go back to my country and everything will be fine.
Those who continue to suffer the most are those who are here," he said. The mayor also accused Israel's right-wing government of exhibiting tolerance toward ongoing violence perpetrated by settlers in the occupied territories.
Belgian Foreign Minister Maxime Prevot strongly denounced the assault and emphasized that diplomatic representatives, journalists, and civilians harvesting olives should never face physical danger. Prevot stated that as the occupying power, Israeli authorities maintain a legal obligation to protect Palestinians, ensure safety for diplomats and members of the press, and prosecute those responsible. He urged an immediate end to impunity for violent settlers and affirmed that Belgium will push for European Union sanctions against the perpetrators and their backers.
In response, Israeli Foreign Minister Gideon Sa'ar condemned the aggression, describing the perpetrators as Israeli rioters and confirming that the ministry had established contact with the foreign ambassadors representing the affected countries. But he added: "Without detracting from the severity of the incident, it is unfortunate that the visit was not coordinated with the IDF in advance.
Such coordination could have helped safeguard the visitors' security." The IDF also issued a statement condemning the severe act of violence in Taybeh, adding that an initial inquiry confirmed no military personnel were present at the scene during the confrontation.
Meanwhile, the office of Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu urged caution before drawing conclusions from social media imagery, arguing that available footage did not capture the full sequence of events or establish individual fault. Netanyahu's office confirmed that Israeli police and forensic teams had opened an official investigation. It further suggested that reports surrounding the incident might be part of a coordinated campaign aimed at smearing Israel and Jewish residents of Judea and Samaria during the annual olive harvest season.
Saturday's assault occurred just one day after another violent confrontation in a separate West Bank village, where settlers injured several Palestinians and Washington Post photographer Heidi Levine. That earlier attack drew strong criticism from United States officials. US Secretary of State Marco Rubio called the attack on Levine disturbing and not a good look, while US Ambassador to Israel Mike Huckabee labeled the assault a despicable act of terror carried out by masked cowards, demanding that the perpetrators face prosecution to the fullest extent of the law.
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Md. Kazi Bijoy is a dedicated tech enthusiast and content creator with a passion for digital innovation. With years of experience in the tech industry, he specializes in breaking down complex topics into easy-to-understand guides. When he isn’t writing, he explores the latest gadgets and researches emerging trends in the digital world.