According to an article in The Israel Times on October 19th, Israeli police arrested 10 Israelis in the early hours of the day. They are suspected of being involved in several violent attacks that occurred on the West Bank last weekend. The victims included Palestinians, European diplomats, and an American photojournalist.
These suspects were detained at several locations in central West Bank. The police found evidence related to suspected criminal activities in the items they possessed and seized several vehicles.
Israeli Police Chief Danny Levie stated in a statement: "The laws of Judea-Samaria District (the official name given by Israel to the West Bank area it controls, excluding East Jerusalem) apply to everyone, regardless of their identity or group affiliation."
Levi also stated that Israeli police “are committed to conducting professional, impartial and just law enforcement work based on evidence and the law.”
On October 16th, local time, journalist Heidi Levin from the Washington Post was interviewed by Palestinians picking olives on the West Bank. She was then attacked by a group of masked Israeli settlers. Video footage from the scene shows that several people assaulted Levin. The incident resulted in at least two people being injured.
Just one day later, a group of masked settlers armed with metal sticks attacked European diplomats visiting the West Bank. Bernard Boudot, a 78-year-old French mayor, said he was “beaten with metal sticks and kicked on the feet, and then knocked to the ground.”
After two attacks targeting Westerners took place, Israel’s closest allies in the US called on Israel to act with a severe crackdown against settler violence and demanded that those responsible be held accountable for the attacks. The diplomatic staff from France, Belgium, and Poland also called on Israel to take action.
Israeli police have not yet revealed the identities of the suspects. According to Israeli media reports, all ten suspects are Israeli citizens.
A video from an early morning operation released by the police shows that law enforcement officers found two slingshots used for throwing stones in a house. Israeli police, military forces, and the Israel Security Agency (Shin Bet) were involved in this operation.
Recently, there has been an increasing number of violent incidents by settlers on the West Bank.
Israel Settlement Watch Data Shows Israeli Settlers in the West Bank Have Participated In at Least 170 Attacks Targeting Palestinians Since the Begin of Olive Harvest Season.
Reuters noted that charges against Israeli settlers are very rare.
Previously, Israeli Foreign Minister Gideon Sal and the Israeli military both attributed the attacks on diplomats to “Israeli mobs”.
However, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu was more cautious in his statement. He said that these diplomats entered a “sensitive area with a history of conflicts” without coordination with the military. He also stated that the details of Levin’s attack are “still unclear”.
