Netanyahu's Office Questions Attack on European Diplomats Near Ramallah

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's office has urged caution in drawing conclusions about an attack on European diplomats near the Palestinian village of Taybeh, in the Ramallah area. A statement released by the office emphasized that serious accusations require compelling evidence. "Any violence against diplomats is unacceptable. The more serious the accusation, the more substantial the evidence must be," the statement read. The Prime Minister's office noted that the European delegation visited the area, which has previously seen clashes, without prior coordination with the IDF. Among the delegation was the mayor of a French town and representative of the French Communist Party, who had previously hung a Palestinian flag at his municipality building, an act for which French authorities demanded its removal. The statement also pointed out that published video footage shows masked individuals near the diplomatic vehicle, with some frames depicting broken glass and a person on the ground. However, the office believes these materials do not provide a complete picture of the events or establish responsibility. "These reports emerge amid concerns of a coordinated campaign to slander Israel and Jewish residents of Judea and Samaria during the annual olive harvest," the statement added. Netanyahu's office called on the public and journalists to demand verifiable evidence and avoid turning unconfirmed accusations into collective condemnation of Jewish residents. The Israeli police have announced an investigation into the attack, and the IDF condemned the incident, stating that the diplomats were attacked by Israeli order violators.