EU Condemns Settler Attack on European Diplomats Near al-Taybeh Village in West Bank

The European Union issued a stern condemnation of an attack carried out by Israeli settlers against a European diplomatic convoy in the occupied West Bank, calling for measures to halt what it described as assaults.

The attack occurred on Saturday near the Palestinian village of al-Taybeh, east of Ramallah, when diplomats from France, Belgium, and Poland, along with representatives of the Catholic Church, were visiting the village, which has a Christian majority, to express solidarity with Palestinian olive farmers.

Bernard Baudot, the 78-year-old mayor of the French city of Aulnay-sous-Bois, reported that he was beaten and kicked despite wearing his official sash that distinguishes him as a French official. He told Reuters: "I was thrown to the ground." The attackers also smashed a window of a Belgian diplomatic vehicle.

The European Union issued a statement on Sunday welcoming condemnations of the attack by Israeli officials, but it did not mention any specific measures those officials committed to for prosecuting the perpetrators or preventing future incidents. The bloc comprises 27 member states.

Diplomatic pressure on Israel is mounting as attacks on Palestinians, journalists, and foreign visitors accompanying them continue during the olive harvest season.