In brief
A convoy of European diplomats – including Belgian, French, Polish and Catholic Church representatives – was attacked by masked Israeli settlers in the village of Taybeh near Ramallah. Belgian Foreign Minister Maxime Prevot and France’s Foreign Minister Jean‑Noël Barrot condemned the assault and demanded that Israel bring those responsible to account. Israel’s Foreign Ministry called the perpetrators “Israeli rioters” and the IDF said it was investigating the incident despite no troops being present. The attack came a day after settlers wounded a Washington Post photographer in another village, and US officials, including Secretary of State Marco Rubio and Ambassador Mike Huckabee, condemned the violence. The Israeli Prime Minister’s office urged caution, noting that social media footage does not provide the full picture and that investigations are underway.
Belgian and French consuls, along with Polish envoys and a Catholic Church representative, were assaulted by masked Israeli settlers in the largely Christian village of Taybeh, near Ramallah, during a stop to assess the daily clashes between settlers and Palestinians harvesting olives.
Video footage showed the convoy’s car windows shattered and a French mayor slumped beside a vehicle after stones were hurled at the convoy.
Belgium’s Foreign Minister Maxime Prevot called the attack "appalling" and urged Israel to bring the perpetrators to justice and to protect diplomats, journalists and Palestinians. French Foreign Minister Jean‑Noël Barrot demanded an urgent halt to the violence and the safety of civilians, while Poland’s foreign ministry pressed for a firm response from Israeli authorities.
Israel’s Foreign Ministry slammed the attackers as “Israeli rioters”, and the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) condemned the “severe act of violence” that took place in Taybeh, noting no IDF soldiers were present during the attack. The Israeli Prime Minister’s office cautioned that social‑media footage can misrepresent the sequence of events and that investigations are underway.
The incident follows a separate assault on Washington Post photographer Heidi Levine and several Palestinians in another West Bank village, which too drew sharp criticism from U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio and Ambassador Mike Huckabee. Both U.S. officials condemned the attack as a “despicable act of terror” and called for full prosecution.
Against this backdrop, the EU has urged Israel to adhere to international and human‑rights law and to stop the expansion of settlements amid ongoing violence. Israeli foreign minister Gideon Sa’ar reiterated a strong condemnation of the settlers’ behaviour while urging better coordination with the IDF for future diplomatic visits.
