{
  "id": 15355892,
  "title": "Israeli settlers attack European diplomats, beat up French mayor",
  "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/10/18/israeli-settlers-attack-european-diplomats-beat-up-french-mayor",
  "topic": "world",
  "section": "World",
  "published": "2026-10-18T03:16:11.000Z",
  "source": {
    "name": "Dawn",
    "slug": "dawn",
    "url": "https://www.dawn.com/news/2037953/israeli-settlers-attack-european-diplomats-beat-up-french-mayor"
  },
  "original_language": "en",
  "account": "Israeli settlers assaulted a convoy of European diplomats and brutally attacked a visiting French mayor on Saturday, marking a new escalation of violence during the Palestinian olive harvest in the West Bank, according to witnesses and diplomats. The 78-year-old mayor, Bernard Baudoux, recounted how masked settlers shouted defamatory remarks about France, physically assaulted him, and struck him with iron bars while he was participating with Palestinian olive farmers. Baudoux, wearing a sash bearing the French tricolor, stated that he would return to his country, emphasizing that those suffering the most are those present. The mayor, who was not hospitalized, drew attention to potential Israeli government tolerance of such behavior. The attack occurred just a day after settlers beat an American photographer for The Washington Post, who suffered moderate injuries. Israel's foreign ministry condemned the diplomat attack, and Israeli police pledged to investigate; however, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, who is on the verge of an election aimed at bolstering support from far-right factions, instead labeled the incident a \"smear\" campaign against settlers. Netanyahu claimed the diplomats should have coordinated their movements with the Israeli military and pointed out that Baudoux is a known communist who supports the Palestinian cause. His main rival in the upcoming elections, former military chief Gadi Eisenkot, strongly condemned Netanyahu, characterizing the violence as \"Jewish terrorism under the auspices of the Israeli government.\" Belgium called for an end to \"impunity for violent settlers\" after the latest incident. The mayor described how he joined the harvest with Palestinians in the Christian stronghold of Taybeh, where olives hold significant cultural importance. Settlers had already disrupted the harvest and physically assaulted a 70-year-old woman before attacking Baudoux. The West Bank violence has shocked the global community, leading Britain to impose economic sanctions that prompted Netanyahu to express outrage. Netanyahu attempted to cast doubt on the circumstances surrounding the photographer's beating, suggesting that Palestinians and left-leaning activists instigated the incident.",
  "summary": "JERUSALEM: Israeli settlers on Saturday attacked a convoy of European diplomats and beat up a visiting French mayor, in a new escalation of violence during the Palestinian olive harvest, witnesses and diplomats said. The 78-year-old mayor said masked settlers yelled defamatory comments about France, kicked him and hit him with iron bars as he joined Palestinian olive farmers in the occupied West…",
  "key_points": [],
  "editors_take": null,
  "illustration": null,
  "coverage": {
    "outlets": 3,
    "also_reported_by": [
      {
        "outlet": "The Hill",
        "title": "Huckabee condemns Israeli settlers' attack on Washington Post photojournalist",
        "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/10/17/huckabee-condemns-israeli-settlers-attack-on-washington-post",
        "published": "2026-10-17T22:35:02.000Z"
      },
      {
        "outlet": "Times of India",
        "title": "Israeli settlers attack European diplomats; Netanyahu says no ‘compelling evidence'",
        "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/10/18/israeli-settlers-attack-european-diplomats-netanyahu-says-no",
        "published": "2026-10-18T01:36:55.000Z"
      }
    ]
  },
  "ai_generated": true,
  "disclaimer": "Summaries, key points and the editor’s take are written by software from other outlets’ reporting and may contain errors — always check the linked original."
}