European Diplomats Attacked by Masked Settlers in Samaria

Masked individuals, identified as Jewish settlers, attacked diplomats from France, Belgium, and Poland on Saturday, October 17, in the Samaria region. The incident occurred near the Palestinian village of Taybeh, described as the last Christian village in Judea and Samaria, during the olive harvest. Video footage shows a group of masked individuals armed with sticks and stones approaching the diplomats' vehicle, demanding identification and pursuing them on a quad bike. The mayor of the French town of Olenoy-Emery, Bernard Bodo, was seen sitting on the ground with a French flag armband for identification, and a window of the Belgian consulate's car was broken. The mayor of Taybeh stated that settlers attacked foreign diplomatic delegations during their visit to the village during the olive harvest. Preliminary reports indicate seven assailants were involved. The attackers also targeted Palestinian olive harvesters in a Taybeh plantation located in Area B. Activist Amit Orpali, associated with the organization "Torat Tzedek," reported that the army was notified in real-time but did not respond. Orpali and another activist, Roni Federman, stated they were informed of a major settler attack and drove to the area, where they were confronted by seven masked settlers with clubs. Orpali noted the assailants were not from the immediate known settlement and described their aggressive behavior, including accusing the fleeing Palestinian landowners of stealing olives.