Ten arrested in West Bank raids

Israeli police arrested ten suspects in a pre-dawn operation across the West Bank on suspicion of involvement in violent incidents, violating a closed military zone order and illegal construction.

Photojournalist attacked on Friday

Masked Israeli settlers assaulted Washington Post photojournalist Heidi Levine, a US citizen, on Friday while she covered a Palestinian olive harvest. Levine was hospitalised and underwent surgery on a finger.

Diplomats attacked Saturday

On Saturday, masked settlers attacked French, Belgian and Polish diplomats and Bernard Baudoux, the seventy eight year old mayor of the northern French town of Aulnoye-Aymeries. A Belgian diplomatic vehicle was damaged.

International pressure for action

The United States, France, Belgium and Poland called on Israel to take action after the attacks. The US demanded the perpetrators of the assault on Levine be jailed and settler violence be cracked down on.

Netanyahu questions the facts

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said the diplomats entered a sensitive area without coordinating with the military and said the facts of the attack on Levine were unclear. Israeli Foreign Minister Gideon Saar blamed Israeli rioters.

“the facts of the attack on Levine were unclear”

Settler violence surging across region

At least one hundred seventy settler attacks on Palestinians have occurred since September twenty seventh, according to Yesh Din, an Israeli human rights group.