Masked settlers attack European diplomats in occupied West Bank village

Masked settlers attacked a group of European diplomats in the occupied West Bank on Saturday, according to reports from The Guardian and PBS NewsHour. Belgian Foreign Minister Maxime Prevot stated that the assault occurred in the village of Taybeh during the sensitive olive harvest period. PBS NewsHour reported that the diplomats targeted included Belgium's consul general, French and Polish diplomats, and Catholic representatives. [1][2]

The incident marks the second consecutive day of high-profile assaults in the region. At least four people have been killed and more than 100 injured since the olive harvest began earlier this month, the Palestinian health ministry reported, as cited by The Guardian and PBS NewsHour. Activists reported that Israeli authorities do little to stop the violence. As FTMQ News reported earlier, violent attacks had already broken out on Friday across multiple West Bank villages. [1][2][16]

The West Bank is a landlocked territory located west of the Jordan River that has been under Israeli occupation since 1967. Foreign Minister Prevot linked the attack to what he described as Israel's illegal settlement policy and urged the European Union to implement further sanctions. [1][12][15]