West Bank: Israeli Settlers Attack US Journalist and EU Diplomats

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A broken rib, four fractured vertebrae, a finger ripped open with the bone exposed — that is the toll of an attack by Israeli settlers on Washington Post US photographer Heidi Levine on Friday near the village of Abu Falah in the West Bank. Just one day later, seven masked men beat up a convoy of European diplomats, injuring a 78-year-old French mayor. Within 48 hours, two serious incidents now stand side by side — both occurring during the ongoing olive harvest — and they show just how far the violence this autumn reaches.

Friday in Abu Falah: A Photographer in a Clearly Marked "PRESS" Vest

Levine was wearing a protective vest marked "PRESS" on the front and back. It did not protect her. According to the Washington Post, dozens of masked Israeli settlers attacked Palestinian villagers harvesting olives. The attackers set olive groves on fire and threw stones. The photographer was thrown to the ground and kicked repeatedly. Her camera and phone were taken from her. She suffered cuts across her body, a broken rib, and four fractured vertebrae — and one of her fingers was ripped open so badly that the bone was exposed.

The Israeli side paints a different picture. Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu stated on X that the circumstances were unclear and under investigation. According to reports, roughly 200 Arabs and left-wing extremist activists had faced off against about 40 Israeli youths. Footage showed masked individuals on both sides throwing objects, and fireworks were reportedly fired at Jewish youths.

Saturday in Taybeh: Seven Men Surround a Diplomatic Convoy

One day later, again during the olive harvest, this time foreign diplomats were the targets. According to eyewitness accounts cited by Israeli Army Radio military correspondent Doron Kadosh on X, seven masked men in their off-road vehicles surrounded a vehicle from the delegation. They demanded identification documents and smashed a window. Video footage shows a diplomat lying on the ground. According to AFP information, the man is 78-year-old French mayor Bernard Baudoux. The diplomats were traveling in vehicles belonging to the French, Belgian, and Polish mission in the West Bank. A statement from the Israeli army was not initially available.

Belgium Draws the Line Back to Settlement Policy

The sharpest reaction came from Belgium. Foreign Minister Maxime Prevot condemned the attack in the strongest terms and demanded: "The impunity of violent settlers must come to an end." This violence cannot be separated from Israel's illegal settlement policy — Belgium condemns both the expansion of settlements and attempts to violently displace Palestinians from their land. Prevot also revealed that the Belgian consul general himself had been part of the delegation — a detail that significantly raises the diplomatic stakes.

Sa'ar's Condemnation — and His Accusation Against the Diplomats

From Israel came a rare, clear condemnation for Netanyahu's right-wing government. Foreign Minister Gideon Sa'ar declared: "I condemn in the strongest terms the serious acts of violence by Israeli rioters in the Taybeh area." In the same breath, he accused the European diplomats of failing to coordinate with the Israeli military. What this means for you: Jerusalem condemns the violence but wants to shift part of the responsibility for the circumstances onto its guests.

The Olive Harvest as a Lens on Escalating Violence

Israel has occupied the West Bank since the Six-Day War in 1967. Some three million Palestinians and more than 500,000 Israeli settlers live there, whose settlements are illegal under international law. Under Netanyahu, Israel has pushed settlement construction aggressively forward. Since Hamas's major attack on October 7, 2023, the situation in the West Bank has also markedly deteriorated — Palestinians are repeatedly the targets of settler attacks. When, during the olive harvest, a Washington Post photographer ends up in the hospital with broken vertebrae and a 78-year-old mayor is thrown to the ground by masked men, it shows how far this violence reaches beyond Palestinian villages.