Israeli police arrest 10 after settler attacks on journalist, diplomats

Israeli police say they have arrested 10 suspects in connection with a wave of settler pogroms in the occupied West ⁠⁠Bank over the weekend, including attacks on a United States photojournalist and European diplomats.

The suspects were detained early on Monday, on suspicion of involvement in acts of violence, violating a closed military zone order, and illegal construction, Israeli police said on Monday.

Police did not share the suspects’ identities, but Israel’s Army Radio said they were all Israeli citizens.

The arrests coincide with a surge in Israeli settler attacks disrupting the annual Palestinian olive harvest in the occupied West Bank.

Rising settler violence against Palestinians has prompted an international outcry, with the United Kingdom describing it as “ethnic cleansing” and imposing sanctions on products from illegal Israeli settlements.

US praises arrests

US Ambassador to Israel Mike Huckabee said on X on Monday that the arrests were “a very positive development in finding & punishing those who severely attacked and ‌‌beat” the Washington Post photojournalist, Heidi Levine.

On Friday, Heidi Levine was beaten by a group of male settlers in the village of Abu Falah in the occupied West Bank, leaving her with several broken ribs and vertebrae.

She also underwent surgery on a finger that was nearly severed and is recovering from what appeared to be stab wounds to her lower body, which required stitches.

A day later, masked settlers attacked European diplomats visiting the Christian village of Taybeh. France, Belgium and Poland, whose delegates were attacked, also called on Israel to take action.

Israeli Foreign Minister Gideon Saar and the military have blamed “Israeli rioters” for the attack on the diplomats.

But Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, whose religious coalition is projected to lose its governing majority at the October 27 election, has been more vague in his language.

He said the diplomats entered a “sensitive area with a history of confrontations” and without ‌‌coordinating with the military. He also said that the facts of the attack on Levine in Abu Falah were “unclear”. When she heard about this, Levine said she was “shocked and insulted” about what Netanyahu said.