Police and Shin Bet Seek Diplomats Attacked Near Ramallah

Israeli police and the Shin Bet security agency are seeking assistance from the Foreign Ministry to locate Belgian and French diplomats who were attacked by Jewish assailants near Ramallah on Sunday. The diplomats were reportedly in the Palestinian village of Taybeh to attend an olive harvest event, accompanied by representatives from Poland and Catholic officials.

According to a security official, police were alerted about three hours after the incident occurred. By the time forces arrived, the assailants had already fled. Video footage circulating online shows masked individuals approaching the diplomats' vehicle with sticks and stones, pursuing it with an ATV. The window of the Belgian consulate's vehicle was smashed, and a French mayor attending the harvest was pushed to the ground.

Reports indicate that approximately seven assailants were involved in the attack, which also targeted Palestinian olive harvesters in the area. The security official questioned the preparedness for such events, noting that the olive harvest season is known to occur in these locations. "How do dozens of assailants arrive from the outposts and no one sees them? Where are the observations, where is the intelligence, and where is the advance preparation?" the official asked, adding, "If everyone understands that these events are the match that could ignite the region, why are they not prevented from arriving?"

The official stressed that simply adding a company of soldiers is not a solution, advocating instead for continuous presence at known hotspots, intelligence gathering, and advance preparation. "The violence will not stop if there is no force on the ground that creates continuity and presence," the official stated, emphasizing that by the time forces arrive after an incident, the damage has already been done.

This incident is linked to a previous attack in the village of Telafit, where assailants disguised as soldiers allegedly assaulted a father, mother, and two daughters. The official noted that forces also arrived late to that scene. The IDF condemned the attack on the diplomats, stating in an initial review that no forces were present at the location during the assault. The IDF added that the entire incident would be investigated and that the consulate's patrol was not coordinated in advance.