On October 17, Israeli settlers assaulted a delegation of European diplomats, including a French mayor, near the Palestinian village of Taybeh. Belgium's consul general, French and Polish diplomats, and Catholic representatives were targeted. Belgian Foreign Minister Maxime Prevot confirmed that a French mayor was assaulted and a Belgian vehicle was damaged, linking the attack to Israel's settlement policy and pledging to push for further EU sanctions. The attacked mayor, Bernard Baudoux, told AFP the assault suggested tolerance on the part of the Israeli government. Video from the scene showed masked men with sticks threatening the group.
The day before, veteran American journalist Heidi Levine, 64, who freelances for the Washington Post, was brutally attacked while covering Palestinian olive harvesters. Wearing a marked press vest, she was beaten, kicked repeatedly, and robbed of her cameras and phone. Witnesses said Israeli soldiers arrived after the attack and fired live ammunition and tear gas at Palestinians, shooting a man in the leg. Levine later said her attackers kicked her about 50 times.
The European Union condemned the attacks in a statement, expecting full accountability and effective measures to prevent further violence against Palestinians and journalists. French Foreign Minister Jean-Noel Barrot called on Israel to arrest the extremist settlers who assaulted Baudoux and bring them to justice.
Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's office appeared to question reports of the attack on the Europeans, stating on X that they are alleged and require compelling evidence. For the October 16 attack on Levine, the office said serious questions remain about who initiated the violence and called for an investigation. Despite acknowledging published footage, the office offered only conditional condemnation.
The recent incidents follow a longer pattern. On October 6, Palestinian AFP photographer Jaafar Ashtiyeh was beaten with rifle butts by settlers near Nablus and his camera equipment stolen. In July, US Congressman Ro Khanna said he and his group were detained by armed settlers, with the Israeli military siding with the settlers. Khanna called Netanyahu a liar after his office released a statement questioning the October 16 attack.