A diplomatic visit meant to celebrate a town-twinning agreement ended in violence on Saturday, when masked Israeli settlers attacked a European delegation in Taybeh, a largely Christian Palestinian town in the occupied West Bank.
The group — including the French and Belgian consuls, a Polish representative and mayors from French towns — had just attended a ceremony marking a partnership between Taybeh and the French commune of Saint-Pierre. Trouble began when the delegation, led by Taybeh Mayor Suleiman Khourieh, joined local farmers for a symbolic olive-picking session west of the town, a gesture of solidarity during the harvest season.
According to witnesses and footage cited by Israeli Army Radio, settlers hurled stones at the diplomatic vehicles, shattering a window on the Belgian delegation's car. Several Palestinian residents picking olives were also injured. Bernard Baudoux, the 78-year-old mayor of Aulnoye-Aymeries in northern France, told AFP he was kicked and struck with iron bars by masked settlers who shouted abuse about France. He collapsed beside a vehicle but did not need hospital treatment. Another French mayor, Bernard Boudot of Aulnoy-lez-Valenciennes, was seen lying on the ground next to a diplomatic car after the assault.
The timing is no accident. The olive harvest, which began in early October, is a vital income source for thousands of Palestinian families and a deep cultural symbol — and it has become a flashpoint. Extremist Israeli figures have called for the annual harvest to be blocked, and settler attacks on farmers, land and property have escalated in recent weeks. Khourieh called the assault on diplomats "a flagrant violation of the sanctity of diplomatic and humanitarian work."
Political fallout was swift but divided. French Foreign Minister Jean-Noel Barrot demanded Israel "urgently halt criminal violence" and arrest those responsible; Belgium's foreign minister echoed the call. Israel's foreign ministry condemned the attack and police promised an investigation, though no arrests were made immediately. But Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, campaigning ahead of the October 27 election, instead claimed a "smear" campaign against settlers and said the diplomats should have coordinated with the Israeli military. His election rival, former military chief Gadi Eisenkot, bluntly labelled the violence "Jewish terrorism, under the auspices of the Israeli government."
For travellers, the episode is a stark reminder that the West Bank during olive harvest season — usually a beautiful time to visit and a period of rich cultural activity — carries real risk, particularly around farming areas near settlements. Anyone considering a visit should monitor government travel advisories closely and reconsider independent travel in the region while tensions remain high.
