The European Union has issued a formal condemnation following an assault by Israeli settlers on a convoy carrying European diplomats in the occupied West Bank, pressing the Israeli regime to take decisive action against escalating settler violence. The 27-nation bloc released its official stance on Sunday, just a day after masked individuals targeted the visiting foreign delegation near the Palestinian village of Taybeh.
Representatives from France, Belgium, and Poland, alongside figures from the Catholic Church, were visiting the predominantly Christian village east of Ramallah to express solidarity with local Palestinian olive growers. The delegation was reportedly confronted by masked assailants who threatened officials and smashed the window of a Belgian diplomatic vehicle. Bernard Baudoux, the 78-year-old mayor of Aulnoye-Aymeries in northern France, stated that he was physically assaulted and knocked to the ground despite wearing an official ceremonial sash.
While the European regime welcomed verbal condemnations from certain Israeli officials, it insisted on full accountability and preventative measures to protect civilians and journalists. Conversely, Israeli Foreign Minister Gideon Saar allegedly criticized the delegation for failing to coordinate the visit in advance with the military, while Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s office questioned whether online video footage provided conclusive evidence of the events. Poland and France have both demanded thorough explanations and legal actions against the perpetrators.
The diplomatic flashpoint comes amid a wave of violence disrupting the crucial olive harvest season. Days prior, US photojournalist Heidi Levine was allegedly beaten for over ten minutes and robbed of her equipment while covering similar settler attacks near Ramallah. The United Nations humanitarian office reported that incidents linked to this season's harvest have already surpassed last year's total, intensifying regional friction and international scrutiny.
Source: www.aljazeera.com