Israel Arrests 10 Amid Settler Violence Targeting Journalists and Diplomats

Israeli police announced on Monday the arrest of 10 suspects in connection with a series of settler attacks that occurred over the weekend in the occupied West Bank. These incidents included assaults on a United States photojournalist and European diplomats. The detentions, carried out early Monday, are related to alleged acts of violence, violations of a closed military zone order, and illegal construction, according to police statements. While the identities of the arrested individuals were not disclosed, Israeli Army Radio reported that all suspects are Israeli citizens.

These arrests come amid a notable increase in Israeli settler violence that is disrupting the annual Palestinian olive harvest in the occupied West Bank. The escalating settler violence has drawn international condemnation, with the United Kingdom characterizing the actions as “ethnic cleansing” and implementing sanctions on products originating from illegal Israeli settlements.

The United States Ambassador to Israel, Mike Huckabee, lauded the arrests on X, calling them “a very positive development in finding & punishing those who severely attacked and ‌‌beat” the Washington Post photojournalist, Heidi Levine. Levine was reportedly assaulted by a group of male settlers on Friday in the village of Abu Falah, sustaining several broken ribs and vertebrae. She also required surgery for a finger injury and is recovering from what appeared to be stab wounds to her lower body.

The following day, masked settlers targeted European diplomats visiting the Christian village of Taybeh. Delegates from France, Belgium, and Poland, who were attacked, have urged Israel to take action. Israeli Foreign Minister Gideon Saar and the military have attributed the attack on the diplomats to “Israeli rioters.” Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, whose government's majority is projected to be lost in the upcoming October 27 election, offered a more guarded response, stating that the diplomats had entered a “sensitive area with a history of confrontations” without military coordination. He also cast doubt on the clarity of the facts surrounding the attack on Levine. In response to Netanyahu's remarks, Levine expressed shock and offense.

Rights groups have noted a significant rise in settler violence in the occupied West Bank in recent years, with perpetrators seldom facing arrest or punishment for their ongoing attacks on Palestinians.