EU ‘strongly condemns’ settler attack on delegation in West Bank

The European Union has strongly condemned an attack by Israeli settlers on a delegation of visiting European diplomats in the West Bank earlier this week. The EU expressed its condemnation in a communique, urging full accountability and effective measures to prevent further acts of violence and harassment against Palestinians and journalists. The communique also called on Israel to abide by international humanitarian and human rights law, as well as cease the expansion of settlements.

On Saturday, Israeli settlers attacked a convoy of European diplomats and assaulted a visiting French mayor, Bernard Baudoux. Baudoux described the attack, where masked settlers hurled defamatory remarks about France and physically assaulted him with iron bars. He expressed concern that the Israeli government tolerates such behavior from settlers.

Meanwhile, US Secretary of State Marco Rubio had warned of a brewing crisis in the territory just a day after American photojournalist Heidi Levine was injured in a brutal attack while photographing Palestinian farmers harvesting olives. The surge in violence coincides with the upcoming Israeli elections on October 27th and the ongoing olive harvest, which has been repeatedly disrupted by Israeli settlers. Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu is seeking to bolster his pro-settlement base for the elections.