US Secretary of State Expresses Concern Over West Bank Violence
Translated & summarized from Behadrei Haredim by baba
U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio voiced concern over settler violence in the West Bank, stating the Trump administration is pressing Israel to act. The remarks followed condemnations of an attack on a Washington Post photographer by the U.S. Ambassador to Israel. Violence in Taybeh village also drew strong criticism from Poland and Belgium, with Belgium vowing to pursue EU sanctions against perpetrators.
The story in 6 lines · by baba
- U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio expressed concern over documented settler violence in the West Bank.
- President Donald Trump does not desire friction or a crisis in the West Bank, Rubio stated.
- The U.S. Ambassador to Israel called an attack on a Washington Post photographer a "cowardly act of terror."
- Violence in Taybeh village drew condemnations from Poland and Belgium.
- Belgium plans to pursue EU sanctions against those responsible for and supporting West Bank violence.
- Diplomats from France, Belgium, and Poland were present during an incident in Taybeh.
U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio expressed concern Saturday night over documented instances of settler violence in the West Bank, stating that the Trump administration continues to pressure the Israeli government to act against such events. Rubio, speaking before a trip to India, emphasized that President Donald Trump's stance is clear: he does not desire friction or a crisis in the West Bank or a new conflagration.
Among the incidents Rubio referenced was the attack on Heidi Levine, a photographer for The Washington Post. The Secretary of State noted that his information was based on media reports and that the U.S. administration had contacted the U.S. Embassy in Israel for a fuller picture, with the embassy investigating and expecting a detailed update. "It certainly doesn't look good, everything is very disturbing," Rubio said, adding that the U.S. is closely monitoring the situation, particularly during the olive harvest.
Rubio's remarks followed a strong condemnation of the photographer's attack by U.S. Ambassador to Israel Mike Huckabee, who called it a "cowardly act of terror" and urged that those responsible be imprisoned for attacking an American citizen.
Concurrently, violence in the Palestinian village of Taybeh, near Ramallah, drew condemnations from Poland and Belgium. Reports indicate that masked individuals attacked Palestinians harvesting olives in Area B, an area under Palestinian civil control. Diplomats from France, Belgium, and Poland, including the French Consul in Jerusalem, were present and reportedly witnessed a window in the Belgian Consulate's vehicle being smashed.
The Polish Foreign Ministry issued a statement expressing shock and condemnation, stating Poland's consistent opposition to settler violence and calling attacks on diplomatic staff unacceptable. They expect urgent and detailed explanations from Israeli authorities, the apprehension of those responsible, and their prosecution.
Belgium's Foreign Minister also condemned the incident on X, formerly Twitter, vowing that Belgium would continue to push for EU sanctions against those responsible for and supporting the violence, and called for an end to the impunity he claims settlers involved in violent acts enjoy.
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