The United States has called on Israel to crack down on settler violence following an attack on an American photojournalist with The Washington Post in the occupied West Bank and a separate attack on a convoy carrying European diplomats and a French mayor.
US Secretary of State Marco Rubio said on Saturday that Washington was “deeply disturbed” by footage of the assault.
“We have asked the Israelis, and we continue to ask them, to crack down on this kind of activity,” Rubio told reporters before departing on visits to Uzbekistan and India.
US ambassador demands prosecutions
Earlier, US Ambassador to Israel Mike Huckabee called on Israeli authorities to arrest, prosecute and imprison the settlers accused of attacking photojournalist Heidi Levine.
“The attack on a photographer is a despicable act of terrorism carried out by cowardly masked individuals,” Huckabee wrote on X, adopting a stronger tone than earlier statements from Washington.
“Those who attacked an unarmed journalist should spend years in prison,” he added.
Washington Post photographer injured
Levine was injured on Friday when Israeli settlers allegedly assaulted her while she was covering violent incidents involving Palestinian farmers in the occupied West Bank.
According to witness accounts, the settlers beat her and stole her passport, mobile phone, wallet and professional equipment.
European diplomats' convoy targeted
On Saturday afternoon, settlers were also reported to have confronted a convoy carrying European diplomats and Bernard Baudoux, the 78-year-old communist mayor of Aulnoye-Aymeries in northern France.
Witnesses said the delegation was travelling to Taybeh when settlers moved into the area to prevent Palestinian farmers from harvesting olives.
The same witnesses and diplomatic sources said the settlers behaved aggressively towards the convoy before attacking Baudoux.
French mayor condemns ‘tolerance’ of violence
Speaking to Agence France-Presse, Baudoux criticised what he described as the Benjamin Netanyahu government's tolerance of settler violence.
“I believe that if settlers act in this way, there is tolerance on the part of the Israeli government,” he said.
“The whole world must know what is happening there. I will return to my country and everything will be fine. But those who remain here are the ones who continue to suffer the most.”
Baudoux said he had been visiting the Christian village of Taybeh together with France's Consul General in Jerusalem and a priest from his hometown to sign a cooperation agreement between the two municipalities.
According to the mayor, two or three vehicles suddenly arrived while the European delegation was in Taybeh.
Israeli settlers emerged from the vehicles shouting insults directed at France.
‘They threw me to the ground’
Baudoux said he was wearing the French tricolour sash identifying him as a public official on an official mission.
He alleged that the attackers knocked him to the ground, beat him and struck him with iron bars.
“It was an act of unjustifiable violence that surprised me,” he said.
“They completely lost control.”
He further described it as “unbelievable” that settlers could behave in such a manner and expressed concern that the attack would go unpunished, despite an announcement by Israeli police that an investigation had been opened.
With assistance from the accompanying priest, Baudoux was able to get back on his feet and quickly leave the area by car.
He did not suffer serious injuries and was able to continue his visit.
Israeli response
Israeli Foreign Minister Gideon Saar condemned what he described as the “serious acts of violence”, attributing them to “Israeli rioters”.
At the same time, he criticised the European consulates involved, arguing that the visit had not been coordinated with the Israeli military.
Source: CNA
