Business · Malaysia Bureau
Israeli settlers assault European diplomats, French mayor in West Bank
A 78-year-old French mayor was attacked by masked Israeli settlers while accompanying Palestinian farmers and European officials during an olive harvest in the West Bank. The incident has drawn renewed attention to tensions between settler groups and international observers in occupied Palestinian territories.
LSN Malaysia ·
The French municipal leader was assaulted on Wednesday while participating in a solidarity visit with Palestinian olive farmers, joined by diplomatic representatives from France and Belgium. According to accounts of the incident, masked individuals identified as Israeli settlers confronted the group and turned violent during the encounter.
The mayor, whose municipality has maintained longstanding ties with Palestinian communities, was among several international observers documenting the olive harvest season. European diplomatic missions have increasingly deployed officials to witness activities in Palestinian areas, citing concerns over settler violence and restricted access to farmland.
The attack underscores ongoing friction between Palestinian landholders and Israeli settler communities in the West Bank, where disputes over agricultural land and resource access remain a persistent source of conflict. Incidents involving international observers have prompted formal complaints through diplomatic channels in recent years.
French and Belgian authorities are expected to lodge formal protests regarding the assault. The incident adds to a growing catalogue of complaints from European governments concerning the safety of diplomatic personnel and Palestinian civilians in occupied territories.