Israeli police arrest ten after weekend settler attacks on journalist and European diplomats
The arrests come after a wave of settler violence during the West Bank olive harvest that injured the journalist and sparked international criticism.
By Felo News Desk · Published
Israeli police said they arrested ten people on Monday in connection with a weekend of settler violence that injured Washington Post photographer Heidi Levine and assaulted a convoy of European diplomats in the occupied West Bank.
What happened
On Friday, October 16, masked settlers attacked a gathering of Palestinians harvesting olives in the West Bank village of Abu Falah. During the assault, 63‑year‑old Washington Post photographer Heidi Levine was beaten for more than ten minutes, suffered broken ribs and vertebrae, and required surgery on a nearly severed finger, according to the New Indian Express. She was taken to Beilinson Hospital in Petah Tikva for treatment.
The following day, a group of settlers confronted a convoy of French, Belgian and Polish diplomats visiting the Christian village of Taybeh, striking them with iron bars, as reported by the Daily Mail.
What the reports add
The Daily Mail noted that U.S. Ambassador to Israel Mike Huckabee condemned the attack on Levine as a "despicable act of terror" and quoted Secretary of State Marco Rubio as saying he was "disturbed" by the violence. The New Indian Express added that Israeli police have not identified the suspects or described their specific roles in the attacks.
Both outlets describe a broader spike in settler violence during the annual olive harvest season, but the Daily Mail emphasizes U.S. diplomatic criticism while the New Indian Express focuses on the police arrests.
What was said
Mike Huckabee, U.S. ambassador to Israel, called the attackers "masked cowards" in a statement reported by the Daily Mail. Marco Rubio, U.S. secretary of state, said he was "disturbed" by what was happening, also per the Daily Mail. Bernard Baudoux, mayor of Aulnoye‑Aymeries in northern France, told the Daily Mail that he was kicked to the floor and attacked with iron bars during the Taybeh incident.
How it came about
The attacks occurred amid a surge in settler violence during the West Bank olive harvest, a pattern documented in Felo News' earlier coverage of a masked‑settler assault in Abu Falah on October 16 (masked-settlers-attack-olive-harvest) and a prior large‑scale settler mob attack in Jalud on September 30 (jalud-settler-attack). International criticism of Israel intensified after these incidents, prompting the recent arrests.
Key facts
- Israeli police arrested ten people in connection with the weekend settler attacks (newindianexpress.com)
- Heidi Levine suffered broken ribs, vertebrae and a near‑severed finger during the Friday assault in Abu Falah (newindianexpress.com)
- Settlers also attacked a convoy of French, Belgian and Polish diplomats in Taybeh the following day (dailymail.co.uk)
- U.S. Ambassador Mike Huckabee condemned the attack on Levine as a "despicable act of terror" (dailymail.co.uk)
- Secretary of State Marco Rubio said he was "disturbed" by the violence (dailymail.co.uk)
Timeline
- 2026-10-16 — Masked settlers attack olive‑harvest gathering in Abu Falah, injuring Heidi Levine
- 2026-10-17 — Settlers attack European diplomatic convoy in Taybeh
- 2026-10-19 — Israeli police arrest ten suspects linked to the weekend attacks
