# Settlers attack European diplomats at West Bank olive harvest

> Israeli militants assault French mayor, archbishop and diplomats trying to protect Palestinians harvesting olives, injuring three and damaging vehicles.
- Title: Settlers attack European diplomats at West Bank olive harvest
- Summary: Israeli militants assault French mayor, archbishop and diplomats trying to protect Palestinians harvesting olives, injuring three and damaging vehicles…
- Keywords: breaking, west bank, israeli settlers, palestinian olive harvest, european diplomats, settler violence, occupation, taybeh, bernard baudoux, news, world, Settlers
- Source: the Guardian — https://theguardian.com/world/2026/oct/17/israeli-settlers-attack-european-diplomats-in-west-bank
- Published: 2026-10-17T18:57:56+00:00
- Read time: 1 min
- Topics: breaking, west bank, israeli settlers, palestinian olive harvest, european diplomats, settler violence, occupation, taybeh, bernard baudoux, news, world
## Settlers attack diplomats at olive harvest
Israeli settler militants attacked European diplomats, French mayor Bernard Baudoux and archbishop Vincent Dollmann of Cambrai in Taybeh on Saturday, injuring three people and damaging vehicles.
## Mayor knocked to ground during assault
Baudoux, wearing his red, white and blue sash of office, was assaulted and knocked to the ground as he tried to enter a vehicle with diplomatic plates.

> Vive la France
## Seven armed men attacked Palestinians first
The group of seven men, some armed with clubs, first attacked Palestinians on lower slopes near Taybeh.
## Unprecedented targeting of foreign diplomats
Father Bashar Fawadleh, Taybeh's parish priest, said settlers had never before targeted foreign diplomats there. He called the attack a deeply disturbing escalation in settler violence against the Christian town.

> What happened today is not an isolated incident. It represents a deeply disturbing escalation in settler violence.
## Over 170 attacks since late September
Since the olive harvest began on 27 September, Israeli rights group Yesh Din said settlers launched more than 170 attacks. They killed at least four people, injured more than 100 and damaged thousands of trees.
## Photographer severely injured covering harvest
On Friday, Israeli militants attacked Washington Post photographer Heidi Levine as she reported on the harvest in Abu Falah. She required surgery and is in moderate condition at Beilinson hospital.
## US and Belgium demand Israeli action
US Secretary of State Marco Rubio said America wants Israel to do more to deter settler attacks.

> We're very disturbed by those images and what we're seeing.
## Israel demands advance diplomatic notification
Israel's foreign minister Gideon Sa'ar said diplomats risked attacks if they travelled without military coordination.
## Key takeaway

Israeli settlers attacked European diplomats and a French mayor in the occupied West Bank on Saturday while they protected Palestinians harvesting olives, injuring three people and marking an escalation in settler violence.