Masked settlers attack a European diplomatic convoy at Taybeh in the occupied West Bank

18 October 2026

A delegation of European diplomats was attacked by masked Israeli settlers in the largely Christian village of Taybeh near Ramallah in the occupied West Bank on Saturday. The delegation included envoys from Belgium, France and Poland and a representative of the Catholic Church, and had come to assess conditions after repeated attacks on Palestinians bringing in the olive harvest. Belgian authorities said a window of a consulate car was smashed and a French mayor was assaulted; the office of Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu named the injured French official as Bernard Baudoux, mayor of Aulnoye-Aymeries. Belgium's foreign minister Maxime Prevot said Israel must bring those responsible to justice and that Belgium would press for European Union sanctions. Israeli foreign minister Gideon Saar condemned the violence by what he called Israeli rioters. The Israel Defense Forces condemned the attack and said no soldiers were present at the scene, and Israeli police opened an investigation.