West Bank Settler Attack Injures French Mayor, Targets European Diplomats

West Bank Settler Attack :  On Saturday, a French mayor was beaten by Israeli settlers while visiting the West Bank. The attack occurred while he was participating in the olive harvest with Palestinian farmers. Diplomats from Europe were also present during the visit.

Bernard Baudoux, 78, is the mayor of Aulnoye-Aymeries, in northern France. He claimed that masked individuals insulted France, kicked him, and attacked him with iron clubs. He was later discovered laying behind a car but did not require medical attention.

The incident came a day after an American photographer was beaten in a separate attack. The two incidents have drawn criticism from French, Belgian and American officials.

West Bank Settler Attack Draws Official Anger

Baudoux flew to Taybeh, a Christian community in the West Bank, with a French preacher. He intended to sign a goodwill agreement and accompany Palestinian farmers during the olive harvest.

The mayor stated that the world needed to know what was going on in the area. He also stated that the violence had continued to disproportionately affect locals.

French Foreign Minister Jean-Noel Barrot urged Israel to halt the attacks and arrest those guilty for beating Baudoux. The Belgian foreign minister made a similar demand.

According to Taybeh priest Bashar Fawadleh, other persons were also harmed. One guy required sutures after suffering a head injury. He also mentioned how settlers had insulted an old woman in her seventies and then battered her.

In the West Bank, the olive harvest has been a cause of conflict. According to the article, some radical Israeli settlers have demanded that Palestinians not be allowed to harvest olives. Additionally, settlers have been charged with stealing olives, goods, and land.

West Bank Settler Attack Raises Political Tensions

The attack on Baudoux occurred one day after American photojournalist Heidi Levine was attacked. On Saturday, she was in moderate condition after suffering a shattered vertebra.

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu stated that the ambassadors should have alerted the Israeli military of their arrival. He also accused individuals of conducting a campaign against settlers. His administration advised people not to draw conclusions until all of the facts were revealed.

Netanyahu is looking for support from far-right organizations that support Israeli settlements ahead of the October 27 elections. His biggest challenger, retired military commander Gadi Eisenkot, chastised him for the violence. According to Eisenkot, the attacks are damaging Israel’s international position.

Israeli President Isaac Herzog phoned Levine in the hospital and condemned the incident as horrific. US Ambassador Mike Huckabee also denounced the beating and urged those guilty to be arrested and imprisoned.

The Israeli foreign ministry denounced the attack on the diplomats, and police said they will conduct an investigation.

Violence in the West Bank has also prompted international response. Britain initiated economic penalties, which prompted Israel to shut the British consulate in Jerusalem.

Earlier last month, AFP photographer Jaafar Ashtiyeh was attacked while reporting on tensions around the olive harvest. He had multiple fractured ribs, and his camera was taken.

Israel occupied the West Bank in 1967 and continues to allow settlements there. There are around 500,000 Israelis and three million Palestinians living in the region. Israeli colonies in the West Bank are deemed unlawful by international law.

The attack on Baudoux has fueled demands to action against settler brutality. French and Belgian politicians have urged Israel to bring the relevant parties accountable.