Israel Police Arrest 10 Suspects After Settler Attacks
Israel Police arrested 10 suspects in Operation Olive Leaf following violent settler attacks on a Washington Post journalist and a European diplomatic convoy in the West Bank.
The Israel Police arrested 10 suspects on Monday during Operation Olive Leaf following a wave of settler violence in the West Bank. The arrests targeted individuals linked to assaults on Palestinians during the annual olive harvest, as well as specific attacks on a Washington Post photojournalist and a European diplomatic convoy.
On Friday, masked settlers severely injured Washington Post photographer Heidi Levine in Abu Falah, causing broken ribs and vertebrae. On Saturday, settlers attacked a delegation of diplomats from Belgium, France, and Poland in Taybeh, smashing a consulate car window and assaulting the mayor of Aulnoye Aymeries, France. These incidents occurred alongside broader military activity, including Sunday raids by Israeli forces in al-Mughayyir and Aqraba that resulted in the kidnapping of two Palestinian men and the use of tear gas against civilians.
International pressure drove the police response. U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio urged Israel to crack down on the violence to avoid a crisis, while U.S. Ambassador Mike Huckabee praised the arrests. Conversely, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's office cast doubt on the evidence regarding the diplomatic convoy, suggesting the reports were part of a coordinated smear campaign. The United Nations reports nearly 200 settler attacks linked to this year's olive harvest, surpassing the previous year's total.
