Palestine urges action after Israeli occupiers attack European diplomats in West Bank

Palestine demanded urgent international action Saturday after Israeli occupiers attacked European diplomats and church representatives in the occupied West Bank.

It described the incident as further evidence of “organized settler terrorism.”

The Palestinian Foreign Ministry said Israeli occupiers confronted a delegation near the town of Taybeh, east of Ramallah, including the French and Belgian consuls, a Polish representative and Catholic Church officials.

The attack also involved an assault on a French mayor and damage to a Belgian consular vehicle, it said.

It accused the Israeli government of protecting the attackers and fostering a climate of impunity, urging the international community to take concrete steps to protect Palestinians and foreign representatives and hold those responsible accountable.

Footage by Israeli media showed masked Israeli occupiers carrying sticks and stones and threatening occupants of the delegation’s vehicles, one of which had a shattered window.

Israeli army radio reported that seven masked attackers arrived in off-road vehicles, surrounded a diplomatic car and demanded identification from the occupants before smashing a window of a Belgian consular vehicle.

Despite receiving the delegation’s location and footage of the incident within minutes, Israeli troops and police failed to arrive for three hours, said the radio.

The Israeli military described the attack as a “serious violent incident,” but claimed the delegation had not coordinated its visit in advance and that no troops were present at the scene.

Palestinian Vice President Hussein al-Sheikh called the attack an example of the violence Palestinians face daily and demanded a firm international response.

Attacks by Israeli occupiers have intensified during the olive harvest season, which began earlier this month.

The Palestinian Wall and Settlement Resistance Commission reported 40 attacks and violations by Israeli forces and occupiers against farmers, farmland and olive crops on Saturday.