Masked settlers allegedly attack European diplomats and olive harvesters in West Bank village of Taybeh

Masked Israeli settlers allegedly attacked French, Belgian and Polish diplomats and Palestinian olive harvesters in the West Bank village of Taybeh on Saturday, Oct. 17, according to Israeli media, witnesses who spoke to AFP and Belgium's foreign minister. Belgium's consul general was among those targeted, the minister said.

A visiting French mayor, Bernard Baudoux, 78, was kicked and hurt, witnesses and diplomats told AFP. Israel Police have opened an assault investigation. No suspects have been publicly identified, arrested or charged.

Israel's military and its foreign minister both condemned what they called violence by "Israeli rioters".

What was reported

Army Radio first reported the incident on X at 8:36 a.m. ET, citing testimonies. According to those testimonies, about seven masked settlers arrived on ATVs, surrounded a diplomatic vehicle, demanded identification documents and smashed the window of the Belgian consulate's car. Footage showed a diplomatic vehicle being pelted with stones. The attackers carried clubs, Palestinian news agency WAFA and RFI reported.

Cars from the French, Belgian and Polish missions had brought diplomats to Taybeh, a largely Christian village, when settlers descended to stop Palestinians from gathering olives, witnesses told AFP.

Masked settlers made aggressive statements toward the diplomats before kicking Baudoux, mayor of the northern French town of Aulnoye-Aymeries, according to witnesses and diplomats cited by AFP. Two diplomats and a resident confirmed his identity to the agency.

Video footage seen by AFP showed Baudoux, wearing a sash in the French tricolour, slumped on the ground against a car. Two people who spoke to him said he was hurt but did not need to go to hospital, AFP reported. One diplomat said his condition did not appear life-threatening.

In a 12:16 p.m. ET flash on X, AFP reported: "French mayor tells AFP attack on him in West Bank shows Israel 'tolerance' for settler violence". AFP had not published his full remarks as of this update.

The French consul in Jerusalem was among the diplomats present, according to Army Radio as reported by The Jerusalem Post, and according to activists at the scene and Army Radio as reported by Italy's ANSA news agency.

A woman who said she witnessed the events wrote that the group blocked them and demanded to see ID cards. "We updated the army in real time, but they neither arrived nor responded," she wrote, as quoted by The Jerusalem Post.

Belgium and Poland condemn the attack

Maxime Prévot, Belgium's deputy prime minister and foreign minister, condemned the incident on X at 10:26 a.m. ET.

"I condemn in the strongest terms the attack by masked settlers in Taybeh, in the occupied West Bank, against Palestinians, our Consul General, French and Polish diplomats as well as catholic representatives," Prévot wrote. "A French mayor was assaulted and a Belgian vehicle damaged. Our team is safe".

He said Israeli authorities must "bring those responsible to justice" and that Belgium "will continue to press for EU sanctions" against those responsible and their supporters. "Impunity for violent settlers must end," he added, the Associated Press reported.

Poland's foreign ministry said on X at 11:57 a.m. ET that Polish diplomats were in the convoy and were unharmed. "According to preliminary information, Israeli settlers may have been responsible for the incident," it said, adding there was "no indication that they were specifically targeted".

"We are deeply outraged by this incident and condemn it in the strongest possible terms," the ministry said. It said it expects Israeli authorities "to provide urgent and detailed explanations, identify those responsible and ensure that they are held accountable".

What Israeli authorities say

The Binyamin Police Station "opened an investigation into an assault following footage circulated online," the Israel Police said, as translated by The Jerusalem Post. Police said they would work to "locate the victims, collect testimonies, and identify the suspects so that they can be brought to justice".

Foreign Minister Gideon Sa'ar wrote on X at 11:10 a.m. ET: "I strongly condemn the severe acts of violence by Israeli rioters in the area of Taybeh". He said his ministry is in contact with the ambassadors of the countries concerned to help authorities "identify the attackers and bring them to justice".

"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," Sa'ar wrote.

The Israel Defense Forces said it "strongly condemns the severe act of violence that took place in the area of Taybeh, during which diplomatic representatives were attacked by Israeli rioters". It said police and forensic investigators were entering the area with soldiers to collect evidence and take testimonies.

"The consulate's visit was not coordinated with the IDF," the military said. A preliminary inquiry found no soldiers were at the scene at the time, it said. The IDF said the report of the attack went to a brigade operations room meant for reports "from security personnel only, and not from civilians".

What is still unknown

No official injury report had been released as of 12:24 p.m. ET. No arrests had been reported. GROKsiNEWS.com found no public statements on the attack from France's foreign ministry or the European Union as of that time.

Why it matters

The incident involves accredited European diplomats and comes during an especially violent olive harvest season. At least four people have been killed and more than 100 injured since the harvest began earlier this month, according to the Palestinian Health Ministry, the AP reported.

It came a day after Washington Post photographer Heidi Levine was wounded during the harvest on Friday, Oct. 16. Beilinson Hospital said she was in moderate condition with limb injuries and had undergone surgery, The Jerusalem Post reported.