Israeli settlers attack European diplomats in West Bank

Masked settlers have attacked a group of European diplomats during a visit to the occupied West Bank on Saturday, Belgium's foreign minister says.

Israeli settlers attacked Palestinian civilians, French and Polish diplomats, Belgium's consul general to the Palestinians and a French mayor, Maxime Prevot said.

The attacks came a day after settlers beat an American photojournalist.

"As the occupying power, Israeli authorities must protect Palestinians, ensure the safety of diplomats and journalists, and bring those responsible to justice. Impunity for violent settlers must end," Mr Prevot said in a statement posted on X.

A Belgian vehicle was also damaged, he said.

'Thrown to the ground'

Bernard Baudoux, mayor of Aulnoye-Aymeries in northern France, told Reuters he had been harvesting olives near the Palestinian Christian village of Taybeh in solidarity with the local community when he was "violently attacked" by masked settlers.

"I was thrown to the ground," he said.

Israeli Foreign Minister Gideon Saar condemned the attack, describing the perpetrators as Israeli rioters.

He also suggested the diplomats should have coordinated their visit with the Israeli military.

"Such coordination could have helped safeguard the visitors' security," he said in a statement on X.

Palestinian Vice-President Hussein al-Sheikh condemned the attack, calling it a small example of the "daily terrorism" to which Palestinians are subjected.

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's office later issued a statement warning against "premature conclusions" in the incident and noted concerns about "a coordinated campaign to smear Israel".

Israeli officials, including Mr Netanyahu, have periodically condemned settler violence, while saying it is carried out by a small minority.

Palestinians and human rights groups dispute that characterisation.

Israeli police open investigation

Settler attacks on Palestinians in the West Bank have surged over the past three years.

Journalists, activists and foreign observers have also been targeted.

On Friday, dozens of masked settlers attacked Palestinians harvesting olives in the West Bank.

Washington Post photojournalist Heidi Levine, a US citizen covering the harvest, was hospitalised after being assaulted by masked settlers.

Belgium, which has announced a ban on imports from Israeli settlements in the West Bank and the Golan Heights, will press for European Union sanctions "against those responsible for this violence and those who support them", he said.

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Polish Foreign Ministry spokesperson Maciej Wewior said on X that a convoy carrying diplomats, including Polish officials, had been attacked.

The Polish diplomats were unharmed.

"Attacks on members of the diplomatic corps are absolutely unacceptable," he said.

Israeli police said they had opened an investigation into the incident.

There was no immediate announcement of any arrests.

Prosecutions of settlers accused of violent crimes against Palestinians in the West Bank are rare.

The UN and much of the international community consider the settlements, many of them resembling developed suburbs, in the West Bank to be illegally occupied.

Settlers have established hundreds of additional outposts without government authorisation, while still enjoying protection from the Israeli military.