European diplomats attacked by settlers in occupied West Bank

A convoy of high-ranking European diplomats has been attacked by Israeli settlers in the occupied West Bank, Belgium's foreign minister has said, calling the incident a result of the Israeli regime's expansionist settlement policy in the occupied Palestinian territories.

Maxime Prevot said on Saturday that settlers had attacked Belgium's consul general, French and Polish diplomats and Catholic representatives as they were visiting the village of Taybeh in the occupied West Bank.

Prevot voiced his strong condemnation of the attack, which he said targeted a French mayor and caused damage to a Belgian vehicle.

He also condemned the Israeli regime's failure to protect Palestinians and said the settlers were continuing their violence in the occupied West Bank with impunity.

The top Belgian diplomat said the attack is a continuation of the Israeli regime's expansionist settlement policy and called for further European Union sanctions against the regime.

"This violence cannot be separated from Israel's illegal settlement policy…Impunity for violent settlers must end," he said on X.

"Belgium condemns settlement expansion and attempts to forcibly displace Palestinians from their land."

The attack on European diplomats comes amid a surge in assaults involving weapons ranging from slingshots to guns by settlers on Palestinians and others in the occupied West Bank since the start of the olive harvest season in the region earlier this month.

A Washington Post photographer and others were seriously injured on Friday, adding to more than 100 cases of injury and four deaths recorded over the past weeks.

It also comes amid desperate efforts by Israeli prime minister Benjamin Netanyahu to remain in office less than two weeks before closely contested elections in the occupied territories.

Netanyahu and his allies in his extremist cabinet have defied international calls for a halt in illegal settlement activities in the occupied West Bank.

The expansionist activities come amid continued attacks on Palestinians in Gaza, a territory where the Israeli regime's genocidal war has killed more than 74,000 people since October 2023.