US wants Israel to 'crack down' on settler attacks, Rubio says
US wants Israel to 'crack down' on settler attacks, Rubio says The United States wants Israel to do more to deter attacks committed by settlers in the West Bank, US Secretary of State Marco Rubio said on Saturday. "We're very disturbed by those images and what we're seeing," Rubio said. "We've asked the Israelis and continue to ask them to crack down on that stuff." His comments to reporters came…
US Secretary of State Marco Rubio has expressed concern over increasing settler attacks in the West Bank, urging Israel to take stronger action to stop such incidents. The US has been disturbed by recent footage showing settlers assaulting American photojournalist Heidi Levine, one among several individuals hurt during the Friday violence. This assault occurred as Israeli settlers targeted Palestinian civilians in the occupied territory.
Rubio's remarks came after the video of the attack was widely shared. European diplomats and a French mayor were also targeted in the clash. The US State Department inquired about the events, including Levine's attack, according to Rubio. The Secretary of State expects a response from the US Embassy in Jerusalem within the next few days.
Israeli settlers have been involved in at least 170 assaults on Palestinians since September 27, as reported by Yesh Din, an Israeli settlements monitoring group. This surge in attacks coincides with the onset of the annual olive harvest season.
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