Israeli Police Arrests Over West Bank Attacks

Israeli police announced that 10 suspects have been arrested as part of an investigation into violent incidents in the occupied West Bank where a journalist and European diplomats were targeted.

Israeli police reported that the suspects were detained during a dawn operation on suspicion of involvement in acts of violence, violating a closed military zone order, and illegal construction. Israel Army Radio reported that those captured are Israeli citizens.

Heidi Levine, a U.S. Washington Post photojournalist who was beaten by masked individuals while following the olive harvest by Palestinians on Friday, was hospitalized and underwent surgery on her finger. On Saturday, in another area of the West Bank, French, Belgian, and Polish diplomats were attacked by masked groups, and a Belgian diplomatic vehicle was damaged.

The US, France, Belgium, and Poland had called on Israel to apprehend the perpetrators and take action following the attacks. While U.S. Ambassador to Israel Mike Huckabee stated that the arrests were a very positive development, the human rights organization Yesh Din reported that at least 170 settler attacks have been recorded since September 27.