EU condemns West Bank settler attacks on diplomats as Belgium pushes sanctions

The European Union has said it “strongly condemns” attacks by violent settlers in the West Bank, “including on European diplomats”, demanding “full accountability” and “effective measures to prevent continued acts of violence” against Palestinians — including during the olive harvest season — and journalists, while urging Israel to “cease the expansion of settlements”. Haaretz

The statement, issued Sunday by the EU’s foreign service, follows Saturday’s assault near Taybeh, where masked settlers attacked diplomats from France, Belgium and Poland, Catholic representatives and Palestinian civilians. Arab News Bernard Baudoux, 78, the French mayor of Aulnoye-Aymeries, was thrown to the ground, kicked and struck with iron bars; he told AFP the attack suggested “tolerance on the part of the Israeli government”. Outlook India

Belgian Foreign Minister Maxime Prévot condemned the attack “in the strongest terms”, confirmed “a French mayor was assaulted and a Belgian vehicle damaged”, and pledged to push for further EU sanctions. AsianetNews France’s foreign ministry called on Israel to arrest those responsible and “bring them to justice”. Haaretz

The condemnation followed the attack on Washington Post photojournalist Heidi Levine, 64, who was hospitalised after being “knocked to the ground, kicked repeatedly and stripped of her cameras and phone” by masked settlers near Ramallah. The National US ambassador Mike Huckabee called it “a despicable act of terror carried out by masked cowards” and demanded arrests and prosecution “to the fullest extent of the law”. The National