Israel's PM Office Questions 'Diplomat Attack' Claims, Cites Lack of Evidence

By אליה אביב

Translated & summarized from Now 14 by baba

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Israel's Prime Minister's Office responded to claims of settlers attacking European diplomats, calling the accusations "serious" and demanding "compelling evidence." The office noted the delegation entered a sensitive area without IDF coordination and that footage doesn't confirm the full event sequence or responsibility. Investigations are ongoing, and Israel warned of a smear campaign against its residents during the olive harvest.

The story in 5 lines · by baba

Israel's Prime Minister's Office demands compelling evidence for serious accusations of settlers attacking diplomats.
The diplomatic delegation reportedly entered a sensitive area without prior coordination with the IDF.
Published footage does not establish the complete sequence of events or individual responsibility, according to the PMO.
Israel warned of a coordinated campaign to smear its residents during the olive harvest season.
Police and forensic investigators have launched an investigation into the incident.

Israel's PM Office Questions 'Diplomat Attack' Claims, Cites Lack of Evidence — Editorial illustration generated by baba News, not a photograph of the event.

The Prime Minister's Office has responded to allegations that settlers attacked diplomats from France, Belgium, and Poland in the Benjamin region during an olive harvest. In a statement released Saturday evening, the office called the accusations "serious" and stated that "serious accusations require compelling evidence." The statement emphasized that any violence against diplomats is unacceptable but urged caution before drawing conclusions from initial reports and partial footage.

The Prime Minister's Office highlighted several points questioning the narrative, including that the diplomatic delegation entered a sensitive area with a history of confrontations without prior coordination with the IDF, a fact officially confirmed by the military. The office noted that such coordination is essential for protecting visiting diplomats and preventing violence. It also pointed to the identity of one participant, Bernard Baudoux, a French Communist Party mayor who had previously raised the Palestinian flag over his municipal building, prompting French authorities to order its removal.

Regarding the published footage, the Prime Minister's Office stated that while images show masked individuals confronting a diplomatic vehicle, a smashed window, and a person on the ground, these alone do not establish the complete sequence of events or individual responsibility. These circumstances remain under investigation by Israeli police and forensic investigators.

The office warned of a potential coordinated campaign to smear Israel and its Jewish residents in Judea and Samaria during the olive harvest season, suggesting that further allegations might emerge in the coming days. They cautioned that reputational damage from premature conclusions could occur before all evidence is examined. The Prime Minister's Office urged the public and journalists to demand verifiable evidence, reject hearsay, and avoid turning unproven allegations into a collective indictment of Jewish residents in the region.