Israeli Settlers Attack European Diplomats, Beat French Mayor in West Bank
Israeli settlers have reportedly attacked a group of European diplomats and assaulted a visiting French mayor during a Palestinian olive harvest in the occupied West Bank, raising fresh concerns about rising violence in the territory.
The incident occurred on Saturday, October 17, 2026, as the diplomats and other visitors joined Palestinian farmers harvesting olives. Witnesses and diplomats told AFP that masked settlers attacked the group.
Bernard Baudoux, the 78-year-old mayor of Aulnoye-Aymeries in northern France, said the assailants shouted insults about France, kicked him and struck him with iron bars.
Baudoux was seen collapsed beside a vehicle after the incident. However, he reportedly did not require hospital treatment.
French Mayor Accuses Israeli Government of Tolerating Violence
Speaking after the attack, Baudoux suggested that the violence reflected a lack of effective action against extremist settlers.
He said he had travelled to the area to show solidarity with Palestinian farmers and called for greater international attention to their situation.
According to the report, the mayor was accompanied by senior French and Belgian representatives based in Jerusalem, as well as Polish diplomats.
Baudoux had visited the Christian town of Taybeh to sign a goodwill agreement alongside a local pastor from France. He later joined the olive harvest as a symbolic gesture of support for Palestinian communities.
Israeli Government Condemns Attack as Investigation Promised
Israel’s Foreign Ministry condemned the reported assault on the diplomatic group, while Israeli police promised to investigate the incident.
However, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu urged caution before drawing conclusions about the attacks. His office also argued that the diplomats should have coordinated their movements with the Israeli military.
Netanyahu further pointed to Baudoux’s political background and support for the Palestinian cause.
The incident comes ahead of Israel’s October 27 election, during which Netanyahu is seeking to maintain support among right-wing voters.
His main rival, former military chief Gadi Eisenkot, criticised the government over the violence. Eisenkot described the attacks as “Jewish terrorism” and accused the government of allowing conditions in which such incidents could occur.
Belgium also called for an end to what it described as impunity for violent settlers.
American Photographer Injured in Separate Attack
The assault on the diplomats followed another reported attack on American freelance photojournalist Heidi Levine, who was covering Palestinian farmers harvesting olives in the village of Abu Falah.
According to the report, Levine suffered broken vertebrae and remained in moderate condition on Saturday.
Israeli President Isaac Herzog contacted the photographer in hospital and described the attack as outrageous and shocking.
Netanyahu had questioned the circumstances surrounding Levine’s injuries, suggesting that Palestinians and left-wing activists had contributed to the unrest.
Also Read: WHO Boosts Ebola-Related Vius Preparedness in 3 Countries
Meanwhile, Israel Gantz, who leads an umbrella organisation representing settlers, blamed the recent incidents on groups he described as provocateurs and terrorists. He also acknowledged that some Israelis’ actions were damaging the settlers’ cause.
Earlier in October, AFP photographer Jaafar Ashtiyeh was reportedly beaten while covering tensions surrounding the olive harvest, leaving him with several fractured ribs.
Palestinian Olive Harvest Faces Growing Tensions
The olive harvest is an important cultural and economic activity for Palestinian communities across the West Bank. However, the annual season has increasingly been marked by reports of attacks, intimidation and damage to property.
Bashar Fawadleh, a priest in Taybeh, said settlers had disrupted the harvest and taken olives before the attack on Baudoux.
He also reported that one person sustained a head injury requiring stitches, while an elderly woman was allegedly assaulted.
The violence has drawn international criticism, with Britain leading economic sanctions against individuals accused of involvement in settler violence. Netanyahu has strongly opposed such measures.
Israel captured the West Bank in 1967. Today, around 500,000 Israeli settlers live in the territory alongside approximately three million Palestinians, according to the figures cited in the original report.
Israeli settlements in the occupied West Bank are widely considered illegal under international law, a position rejected by the Israeli government.
The latest incidents have renewed calls for investigations, accountability and stronger protection for Palestinian civilians, journalists and international visitors working in the area.
