Netanyahu: Serious Allegations Require Serious Evidence Amid Diplomat Attack Claims

The Prime Minister's Office stated that "serious allegations require serious evidence" in response to reports of an alleged attack on European diplomats in Judea and Samaria. The office urged caution before drawing conclusions from the day's reports, emphasizing that any violence against diplomats is unacceptable. The statement highlighted that the diplomatic delegation entered a sensitive area with a history of conflict without prior coordination with the IDF, a fact confirmed by the military. Such coordination is deemed essential for the safety of visiting diplomats and the prevention of violence.

The visiting delegation reportedly included Bernard Bodo, the mayor of a French Communist Party town, who has previously been noted for displaying the Palestinian flag over his city hall. Footage released shows masked individuals confronting a diplomatic vehicle, with separate images depicting a shattered window and a person on the ground. However, the Prime Minister's Office noted that these images alone do not establish the full sequence of events or individual responsibility.

Israeli Police and forensic investigators have launched an inquiry to ascertain the facts and identify those responsible. The Prime Minister's Office suggested these reports emerge amid concerns of a coordinated campaign to defame Israel and its residents in Judea and Samaria during the annual olive harvest, potentially relying on sensational headlines before full facts emerge. The office called on the public and journalists to demand verifiable evidence, reject rumors, and refuse to turn unproven claims into a collective indictment against Jewish residents in the region, warning that reputational damage from premature conclusions may already be occurring.