European Diplomats Attacked in West Bank; Israel Divided on Response

European diplomats were attacked by Israeli settler youths near the Palestinian village of Taybeh in the West Bank on Saturday, October 17. The incident has sparked anger among Israeli ambassadors serving abroad, who described images of the attack in international media as a "strategic and image-damaging terror attack." They warned that such events harm not only Israel's reputation but also the settlement movement itself, which the attackers claim to represent. Several European countries have already imposed sanctions on settlement products, with others considering similar measures. Israeli ambassadors believe this attack will accelerate such actions and potentially impact the entire Israeli economy.

Belgian Foreign Minister Maxime Prévot stated on the evening of October 17 that his country would "continue to push for EU sanctions against those responsible for this violence and those who support them." A senior Israeli diplomat compared the incident to the killing of journalist Shireen Abu Akleh, which caused significant damage to Israel. A former senior diplomat blamed the government, saying, "Whoever sows the wind will reap the whirlwind. These are the rotten fruits of the policies of Netanyahu, Smotrich, and Ben-Gvir. They allow these people to run amok because they don't want to quarrel with them before the elections and lose their votes. In a normal world, all these hooligans would be arrested, and the ringleaders put under administrative detention and removed from the region."

Prime Minister Netanyahu's office issued a statement in English, calling for caution and evidence before drawing conclusions. "Serious accusations require serious evidence," the statement read, adding that "any violence against diplomats is unacceptable." The office noted that the delegation entered the area without prior coordination with the IDF, as confirmed by the army, and that the visit included Bernard Bodo, a French Communist Party mayor who had previously displayed a Palestinian flag. The statement concluded by urging the public and media to demand verifiable evidence and not to turn unproven speculation into a collective accusation against Jewish residents of Judea and Samaria. The Israeli Police have launched an investigation.

The IDF and police did not question the fact of the attack. The army "strongly condemned the serious violent incident" in which "Israeli hooligans attacked diplomatic representatives," while also confirming the visit was uncoordinated. The commander of the Judea and Samaria region ordered an investigation, with investigators collecting evidence and interviewing witnesses. Police emphasized their strong condemnation of all acts of violence. Foreign Minister Gideon Saar was the only government member to condemn the attack without reservation, though he also expressed regret that the visit was not coordinated with the IDF. Opposition figures were more critical. Gadi Eisenkot, head of the Yashar party, called the events "Jewish terrorism under the patronage of the Israeli government," stating that "a handful of criminals are burning the remnants of the legitimacy of the State of Israel and harming the settlement movement."

Separately, President Isaac Herzog spoke with journalist Heidi Levine, who was attacked by radical settlers on October 16. Herzog "strongly condemned this outrageous and shocking display of violence" and apologized for her experience, stating that "the despicable behavior of these criminals does not represent the citizens of Israel or its values." Levine's son reported she was in significant pain and would be unable to work for several weeks. The head of the Council of Settlements of Judea and Samaria, Yisrael Gantz, stated that "Israelis who use violence play into the hands of provocateurs and harm people, the settlement movement, and the state," calling for the arrest of stone-throwers and riot organizers regardless of their identity.