Israeli police say they have opened an investigation into an alleged assault on diplomats in the occupied West Bank. Their statement cites footage circulating online that appears to show several diplomats being attacked in the village of Taybeh.
Public broadcaster Kan reported that the diplomats included representatives from France, Belgium and Poland. In a separate statement, Israel’s military said the visit had not been coordinated with it and no soldiers were at the scene.
Violence by Jewish settlers against Palestinians has surged during the annual olive harvest. Activists say authorities do little to stop it. An attack on Friday seriously injured several people, including a Washington Post photographer.
“The Israel Police condemns violence of any kind and will work to complete these investigations until everyone who took part in these cases is brought to justice,” the police statement said.
Police said they had contacted Israel’s Foreign Ministry to help locate those who were attacked.
Secretary of State Marco Rubio said Saturday that he was “very disturbed” by footage of an attack on Washington Post photojournalist Heidi Levine by Israeli settlers in the West Bank.
“We’re very disturbed by those images and what we’re seeing,’ he said, adding that the Trump administration has asked the Israeli government to “crack down on that stuff.”