Israeli police arrest 10 settlers for assaulting U.S. journalist and European diplomat

(Cairo = Yonhap News) Correspondent Kim Sang-hoon = Suspected Jewish settlers who attacked American photographers and European diplomats while covering the olive harvest in the West Bank have been arrested, Israeli police announced on the 19th (local time).

Police arrested 10 Jewish settlement residents on suspicion of attacking an American photographer and European diplomats in West Bank over the weekend.

In the early morning of this day, police conducted a joint operation with military authorities and the domestic intelligence agency Shin Bet, arresting them on charges of participating in violent acts, violating military control zones, and illegal construction.

A local radio station reported that all of the detained suspects were Israeli citizens. It is known that cases of settlers being prosecuted for violence in Israel are very rare.

The arrest video released by the police showed at least one suspect wearing tzitzit, a traditional Jewish attire, and a slingshot for slingshots found at the scene.

When a journalist covering a Palestinian olive harvest site was attacked on the 16th, dozens of masked settlers gathered around and some of them threw stones at him with slingshots. The reporter who was brutally assaulted was taken to the hospital and underwent finger surgery.

The following day, on the 17th, an incident occurred in another area of ​​the West Bank where a group of French, Belgian, and Polish diplomats were attacked by masked settlers and a Belgian diplomatic vehicle was damaged.

Israel Police Chief Daniel Levy said in a statement, "The law applies to everyone, regardless of affiliation or identity," and emphasized, "We will be committed to fair and equal enforcement of the law based on evidence."

Foreign Minister Gideon Saar and the military also condemned the attackers of the diplomat, calling them 'rioters'.

On the other hand, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, whose coalition government is at risk of collapsing its majority ahead of the election on the 27th, showed a somewhat reserved attitude.

Prime Minister Netanyahu pointed out that "the diplomats entered a sensitive area with the potential for conflict without prior coordination with the military," while also drawing a line about the journalist attack incident, saying, "The facts are unclear."

This is in contrast to the actions of Israeli President Yitzhak Herzog, who immediately apologized immediately after the incident, saying, "The cruel rioters do not represent Israel's values."

Meanwhile, according to Yesh Din, an Israeli human rights group, since the 27th of last month, settler attacks targeting Palestinians have surged to at least 170, and attacks on journalists, activists, and foreigners observing the scene are continuing.