Israeli police arrest ten suspects

Israeli police announced on Monday, October 19, the arrest of ten individuals suspected of being involved in attacks carried out by settlers against an American photographer and a French mayor visiting the occupied West Bank with a convoy of European diplomats. The arrests were made "before dawn" as part of an investigation conducted in the West Bank in cooperation with the Shin Bet, Israel's internal security service.

French mayor attacked during olive harvest

On October 17, Bernard Baudoux, a 78-year-old communist mayor of Aulnoye-Aymeries, was violently attacked in the occupied West Bank while participating in an European delegation that had come to Taybeh, a Palestinian Christian village, to support the residents during the olive harvest and to formalize a twin town agreement. The previous day, American photojournalist Heidi Levine had also been beaten by Israeli settlers while covering the violence in the West Bank.

International reactions to the violence

The U.S. ambassador to Israel, Mike Huckabee, praised the arrests, calling them a "very positive development" in the search for those responsible for the violent attack on Heidi Levine, who suffered fractured vertebrae. The European Union "firmly" condemned the attack against the European diplomatic convoy. French Minister of Foreign Affairs Jean-Noël Barrot condemned the attack and called on Israeli authorities to arrest and sanction those responsible.

Netanyahu defends settlers

Benjamin Netanyahu disputed the circumstances of the visit and accused the elected official of conducting a "defamation campaign" against Israel. The office of Prime Minister Netanyahu defended the settlers after the attacks against the journalist and European diplomats, denouncing a campaign of "defamation." Netanyahu leads a government in favor of settlement in the occupied West Bank and is seeking a new mandate in the legislative elections on October 27.

Opposition criticizes government inaction

The opposition argued that the attacks targeting Western citizens tarnished Israel's image, while accusing the prime minister of allowing these violent acts to continue. Gadi Eisenkot, the main rival of Benjamin Netanyahu, denounced on Saturday acts of "Jewish terrorism" carried out "under the auspices of the government." He said a "handful of criminals" were draining the little credit that Israel still has.

Settler violence intensifies

The violence committed by Israeli settlers against Palestinians in the West Bank has intensified significantly in recent months, with a new surge during the olive harvest. Settler attacks are rarely followed by legal proceedings, according to Israeli and Palestinian NGOs, which fosters a sense of impunity. These attacks take the form of physical assaults, land seizures, crop thefts, and vandalism targeting places of worship and homes. Several Palestinian and foreign journalists have been targeted in recent months.