Israeli police detain ten suspects after settler attacks on journalist and diplomats in West Bank

Israeli police announced the arrest of ten suspects in the occupied West Bank following attacks by settlers on an American journalist and several European diplomats last week. The individuals were detained at multiple locations on suspicion of violent acts, breaching a closed-military-zone order and illegal construction, according to a police statement, which also said potential evidence and vehicles were seized.

The United Nations records indicate that settler violence in the West Bank has reached a historic peak, with a sharp rise during the current olive-harvest season, a period critical to Palestinian livelihoods. Human-rights organization Yesh Din reported 269 incidents linked to the harvest over the preceding 20 days.

A BBC team observed one of the attacks near Khirbet Abu Falah, where a local official said 12 Palestinians, including four dual Palestinian-American citizens, and photojournalist Heidi Levine were injured. Levine, wearing a flak jacket marked “PRESS,” said she was knocked to the ground, kicked repeatedly and had her cameras and phone taken.

"It could have been a lot worse," Levine told the BBC’s Today programme from a hospital in central Israel. "We don’t always want to wear flak jackets and helmets – they’re heavy – but we did, and I’m grateful for that. I think I would have suffered more serious injuries, especially to my head. I tried to keep my face to the ground as much as possible. I know I’m really lucky."

U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio said President Donald Trump does not want friction or a crisis in the West Bank. Israeli President Isaac Herzog said the perpetrators’ behaviour does not represent Israeli citizens or the state’s values. A delegation of Belgian, French, Polish and Catholic Church envoys visited nearby Taybeh to observe the olive harvest.

"Israel, as the occupying power, must protect Palestinians, ensure the safety of diplomats and journalists, and bring those responsible to justice," a spokesperson for the delegation said, condemning the attacks.

Levine said the Israeli prime minister’s response was disappointing, adding that a clearer message to settlers was needed. The report notes that Israel has built about 160 settlements housing roughly 700,000 Jews in the West Bank and East Jerusalem, while an estimated 3.3 million Palestinians live in the area. UN figures record at least 96 Palestinian deaths in the West Bank since the start of the year, 25 of which occurred in the context of settler attacks. Yesh Din data show that more than 93 % of Israeli police investigations into ideologically motivated offences against Palestinians between 2005 and 2025 ended without indictment.