Israeli police arrest 10 over West Bank attacks on journalist and diplomats

Israeli police announced on Monday that they have arrested 10 suspects following attacks by Israeli settlers against an American photojournalist and European diplomats in the occupied West Bank. Reports from DW, thejournal.ie, and The Washington Post confirm the arrests, which came after police raided multiple locations in the territory and seized vehicles and evidence. [1][2][3]

The arrests follow an assault on Friday against 63-year-old Washington Post photojournalist Heidi Levine, who was set upon by masked settlers while covering a Palestinian olive harvest, according to DW and The Guardian. DW reported that Levine suffered broken vertebrae in the attack, and The Guardian noted that United States ambassador to Israel Mike Huckabee condemned the assault as a despicable act of terror. [1][4]

On Saturday, settlers also attacked a convoy of European diplomats, as DW, Le Monde.fr, and thejournal.ie reported. Le Monde.fr and DW noted that French mayor Bernard Baudoux was among those targeted, while earlier reports noted the diplomats included representatives from France, Belgium, and Poland. [1][2][10][18]

The West Bank is a landlocked Palestinian territory that has been under Israeli occupation since 1967. Human rights organization Yesh Din has recorded at least 170 settler attacks since September 27, amid ongoing violence surrounding the seasonal Palestinian olive harvest. [1][12][18]