Israel arrests 8 suspects in violence in the West Bank

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Israeli police announced that they arrested eight suspects as part of an investigation into violent incidents that occurred in the West Bank at the end of last week and at the beginning of this week, including attacks on American photojournalist Heidi Levin and European diplomats in two separate incidents.

However, in its statement on Monday, the police did not specify the identity of the suspects.

On Friday, masked Israeli settlers were photographed assaulting Heidi Levin, a photojournalist for the Washington Post, who was covering the Palestinian olive harvest.

European diplomats and a French mayor were also attacked on Saturday by settlers in another incident.

Bernard Boudeau, the mayor of the French municipality of Olnois-Emery, was beaten by Israeli settlers in the village of Taybeh near Ramallah on Saturday. Boudoux told France 3: “I am in shock. I was beaten repeatedly. They beat me and threw me to the ground.”

Budo also told AFP that the attack indicates that "there is tolerance on the part of the Israeli government towards settler violence."

For his part, activist Amit Orfali confirmed that the masked men "threatened to kill them."

Budo was accompanying a delegation of Belgian, French and Polish diplomats during a visit to the Palestinian olive harvest season, when seven masked settlers riding ATVs surrounded the delegation, along with representatives of the Catholic Church who were visiting the area.

According to Belgian Foreign Minister Maxime Prévot, settlers threw stones at the delegation, smashed the window of a car belonging to the Belgian consulate, and demanded that those present show their ID cards.

US Secretary of State Marco Rubio confirmed that the government was deeply concerned about the footage of the attack on the American journalist, and called on the Israeli government to take action.

In turn, the US ambassador to Israel, Mike Huckabee, wrote on the "X" website yesterday that Levine suffered "serious injuries" from the "vicious and cowardly attack." He described it as a "despicable act of terrorism", saying the attackers should spend years in prison.

Huckabee also wrote, "We have called for a full investigation, arrest, and prosecution to the fullest extent of the law for everyone involved in this."

It is noteworthy that acts of violence have escalated ahead of the Israeli elections being held on October 27, which are witnessing intense competition, coinciding with the olive harvest season, which has been repeatedly disrupted by Israeli settlers, while the current Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu seeks to strengthen the support of his right-wing pro-settlement base.