Israeli police arrest 10 settlers after attacks on U.S. journalist and European diplomats

Israeli police announced Monday that they have arrested 10 suspects following violent incidents in the occupied West Bank over the weekend. The arrests were made under "Operation Olive Leaf," a joint operation involving the Israeli Security Agency (Shin Bet) and the Israel Defense Forces. Police have not publicly identified the suspects, though local media reported they are Israeli settlers.

On Friday, Washington Post photojournalist Heidi Levine was beaten by masked settlers while covering a Palestinian olive harvest in the village of Abu Falah. Levine, wearing a clearly marked press flak jacket, was knocked to the ground, kicked repeatedly, and had her cameras and phone taken. She sustained four broken vertebrae, a broken rib, lacerations, a nearly severed finger requiring surgery, and apparent stab wounds. On Saturday, diplomats from Belgium, France, Poland, and the Catholic Church were attacked by masked settlers in the nearby village of Taybeh. Belgium's consulate vehicle was damaged, and French mayor Bernard Baudoux was assaulted during the incident.

The arrests followed international condemnation of the attacks. U.S. Ambassador to Israel Mike Huckabee called the attack on Levine "a despicable act of terror carried out by masked cowards" and praised the arrests as "a very positive development." U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio expressed concern, while European officials, including Belgium's Foreign Minister Maxime Prevot, demanded full accountability and called on Israel to protect journalists and diplomats. Israeli President Isaac Herzog stated the attacks did not represent Israeli values.

Settler violence in the West Bank has reached record levels, particularly during the olive harvest season. According to UN records and data from Israeli human rights group Yesh Din, 269 incidents of olive harvest-related violence were logged over 20 days, including 98 cases of physical assault against harvesters, crop thefts, and tree damage. Police said the 10 arrested suspects face charges including acts of violence, violating a closed military zone order, and illegal construction. Evidence and vehicles were seized during operations at several settler outposts in the central West Bank.

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's response differed from other Israeli officials. He suggested the diplomats had entered a "sensitive area" without military coordination and said the facts surrounding Levine's attack were "unclear"—statements Levine said left her "shocked and insulted." Foreign Minister Gideon Saar and military officials had attributed the attacks to "Israeli rioters." The UK has responded to the broader pattern of settler violence by describing it as "ethnic cleansing" and imposing sanctions on products from illegal Israeli settlements.